We Broke Up
by XxijiexX
Summary: Honestly, both of them couldn't really recall how it ended but they remembered how it started. 'It just happened'. Now if that excuse could really work on both of their bestfriends. Cherubs may help them in getting those two together but at the end, satan probably got those two split. Rated T for possible coarse language.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I'll say this once so I don't have to say and type the same thing over and over again as disclaimer on the next chapters after this;

I DO NOT OWN GAKUEN ALICE NOR ITS CHARACTERS D:

I just own this plot and the new characters; which I create them myself.

...

 **01 Us**

"I like you! Please go out with me." A five-foot girl bowed her head down, her black hair trailing down her scarlet red face and her hands were trembling by her sides.

Natsume Hyuuga looked at the said girl and mentally sighed with a groan. His right hand unconsciously reached the back of his neck as his fingers slowly began massaging it. It's a habit he recently developed, he found out, every time he had to handle troublesome matters, which happen to start only recently. "I'm flattered," his deep voice rumbled, "but I'm sorry." He tried to be nice but he didn't even know who the girl is.

The girl snapped her head up and her eyes slowly began to tear up. "No, it's okay." Natsume had to give her some credit because he could see she was forcing herself not to cry. "I'm sorry.." she spoke again. He mentally frowned, 'or maybe not,' he thought as he watched the girl's started to sniff terribly, "for taking your time." She started to bawl before storming off, leaving him completely baffled.

Natsume exhaled a tiring sigh as he looked at the box he's currently holding in his right hand. He bet it'd be chocolates inside the wrapping. He should have given it back to her before she ran off. But he didn't expect her to run off that quickly after getting rejected. Supposedly return it back to her would be impossible now since he didn't know who she is, let alone which class she's from. "What am I supposed to do with this now?" he muttered to himself. He didn't particularly like sweet things. Should he throw it away?

"Let's just eat it together." A head popped out from the window. "It'll be a waste if you throw it away." She ducked her head down and disappeared from his line of sight. To be honest, he wasn't really surprised to see her there but certainly he didn't expect she would be there at this time.

Natsume went to grab for his bag inside the empty class and climbed up the open window before sliding down the wall below the window, settling next to the brunette, placing his bag on the marbled ground next to him. He straightened out his long legs and handed her the box of chocolates. "I didn't know you would be here."

Mikan Sakura pushed her brunette tresses away from her face as the wind continuously to blow them in her eyes. She turned her head to her side and smirked. "So one of our sacred place now got invaded by other girls too huh. Well, aren't you a little too famous, Natsume?" She asked sarcastically as she took the box from him. With a swift motion, she pulled the ribbon off and threw it somewhere beside her, not caring where it landed. Wasting no time and tearing up the wrapping paper, she threw it away following the fate of the ribbon, and opened the box.

He leaned his head against the wall and looked down at her. With both of them sitting down together like this, she's a head shorter than him. He watched her scrutinizing the chocolates in the open box. "I thought you went home already."

"Well, I didn't." She took one that shaped like a heart and threw it inside her mouth. Her face crinkled a little as her tongue slowly got used to the taste. She took another one and offered it to Natsume. "Here, have one. That girl must had done her research. She knows you don't eat sweet stuff because this one is dark chocolate. She had good sense."

Natsume looked at her and when he didn't seem to respond, she startled him by shoving it inside his mouth, smudging his lips in the process. "See, it's bitter isn't it?" She asked with a wide grin as she reached out and softly rubbed off the smudge on his lips with her thumb. Skin contact. Not only that, sitting at a very close proximity too. They're gotten so used to these that it no longer feel awkward. In fact, between Natsume Hyuuga and Mikan Sakura, all of these were like their daily routines. Skin contact is so normal thing for them.

With the remnants of chocolates sticking to her fingers, she licked them clean before wiping them off with a handky. Natsume silently stared from the side, completely intrigued. "Some of it got a bit melty but the taste is just how you like it," she trailed off, looking at another chocolate to take from the box. He watched her took another one—she found the one that didn't melt—and popped it inside her mouth. "Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I thought the class was empty because nobody is inside," she suddenly added.

"No matter. It's no big deal anyways." He reached out and took another chocolate, careful not to get the melty ones. Now that he tasted another one, it didn't taste bad at all. Actually, the chocolates tasted better than what he usually had. He shrugged and added, "I hardly know her."

"You mean, you don't know her _at all_ ," she corrected him with a laugh. "She's what, the 13th girl confessed to you this week?"

Natsume stared at her. "You've counted?"

The corner of her lips curled up and the gleam in her eyes twinkled. "Random guess."

Natsume sighed. "Don't bother. I don't even know. They just continuously came to me," he grumbled before adding, "It's not like this at all last week." He suddenly smirked. "Then again, you're good at fending them all off, Mikan."

The brunette snorted and she didn't even try to cover it. She had passed the 'ladylike' phase with Natsume. Now she could even barf while bawling her eyes out in front of him without a care in the world. "Yeah right," she rolled her eyes sarcastically, "It's just that you've been a bit warm lately. That's why they keep on coming." Mikan tapped her chin lightly, pondering on something. "If it's you three years ago, nobody would even dare to come near you." Excluding Ruka of course. But even their friends would be thinking twice to jump on him at a joke.

Natsume snickered. "Whose fault do you think why I'm like this now?" He raised his perfectly arched brows tauntingly at her.

Mikan rolled her brown orbs at him. "Don't put the blame on me now, Natsume. You're the one who just naturally fell in my pace." She didn't even have to pull him in. He came in on his own.

"And you're a black hole who just suck everything and everyone in." Included him. Good lord, three years with her had changed him. Even his brother was amazed of Mikan Sakura's craftsmanship in changing and re-creating Natsume Hyuuga to the _now_ Natsume Hyuuga.

Mikan smacked his arm with a pout. "You're the one who voluntarily came to my side."

Natsume laughed. "Yeah I did. I actually forgot that." He watched Mikan pulled out her phone after hearing it beeped and with a hiss, she shoved it back in after reading a text a second after that. "Another one bothering you?"

Mikan nodded tiredly. "I swear to god they're relentless."

"I should've punched the guy when I saw him in the toilet the other day," Natsume spat out in dissatisfaction and irritation. He never liked the lot of them, this one particular group of second years. He had heard the news flying around and Mikan was the least bit happy about it.

Mikan gave him a mild shook of her head. "You'll end up in another brawl. I don't want that. I'm glad you didn't anyways." She smiled up encouragingly to him, probably to ease the invisible burning fire flaring on top of his head. "I just have to change my number again."

"You have it rough huh." She's being chased around a lot these days. He had heard. Then again, so was he.

"You too." She grinned cheekily. Apparently, she did hear something as well about him because that deep knowing grin of hers only meant she knew what's going on so he needed not to beat around the bush.

Natsume smirked. "Don't be cheeky, little brat. It doesn't suit the mood right now."

Mikan just laughed it off and taking another chocolate, she took her time slowly this time to savor the taste. It was bitter and she wasn't the one who's fond of bitter taste but Natsume liked it so her tongue had gotten used to the taste by now. However, right now, bitter is all she could feel. She stared up at the open blue sky and took her time getting herself comfortable with the warm weather as she leaned against the wall.

Natsume's phone blared off with his Linkin Park's Numb going on full volume. He fished it out and groaned. "Your brother?" Mikan asked from the side. "Did he run out of toilet papers again while shitting?" She tried not to laugh. That did happen before. Two times to be exact. Natsume, even if he cursed his heart out for having a stupid useless brother—exactly how he put it—he still ran out and bought him tissue papers.

Natsume shook his head and showed her his phone. Mikan furrowed her brows, staring at the name appeared on the screen. "Hotaru? Why is she calling you?"

"Probably because she couldn't reach you," Natsume replied with a mild glare at her. The person at the receiving end, who was chewing another chocolate in her mouth, only snickered her response. "After all, you keep on changing your phone number lately," Natsume emphasized with a scowl as he dragged a finger on the smooth screen to cancel the call. "Imai is both persistent and ruthless," he commented with his eyes narrowed at his phone as he waited. Just in time, a second after that, his phone dinged with a follow up text from Hotaru Imai.

From: Imai

Subject: REJECT MY CALLS ONE MORE TIME, HYUUGA AND YOU WILL EXPERIENCE MY BLOODY WRATH. YOU BETTER PRAY GOD WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE WHEN I SEE YOU LATER ON.

"See what I meant?" Natsume showed Mikan the text only to get a dismissal wave from her after she read the text. "And this doesn't happen once. She called me many times already." That ice woman had gone crazy it seemed.

But Mikan, she was the least bit interested in what he's saying for she kept on eating the chocolates without the care in the world. Natsume's vein twitched. Putting his phone back in his pocket, he reached out and flicked Mikan's forehead and the girl doubled over with a groan. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Fucking hell Mikan, can you just contact her at least once? That girl is already crazy enough as it is but you're making her even crazier than any normal human could possibly get." He would've told her the side effect of her actions had gotten Ruka tortured in the process but then again, Ruka's ego and pride would both be scarred if he knew that Mikan knew Hotaru Imai was torturing him because of her. After all, he felt sorry for his best friend for being a sacrificial French lamb for Imai The Butcher.

Mikan rubbed her sore and pounding forehead. She sat back up again and looked at Natsume with a teary eyed. "You're mean, Natsume."

"Would you rather me kick your arse for real then?" He raised one brow at her. "Like what I did to Koko and the rest of the guys?"

Mikan shrugged, getting the whole picture in her mind. "Point taken." She saw how Koko flinched at the after effect of Natsume's kick and it ain't pretty, the look on the face of that dirty blonde haired.

Natsume sighed at her lack on participation in the matter. Her effort in changing the subject didn't go pass his eyes though. "She's coming back soon."

"I know." She's fully aware of it, to be honest. She turned to look at him. "And Ruka?"

"They're flying back together."

"Hm, okay."

"Stop playing around and call her." Before he really looses his life to Hotaru Imai for rejecting _another_ phone call from her, Natsume sent a silent prayer to the above. International call is bloody expensive; he didn't know why she kept on calling when it's clear he won't pick up anymore. He picked up once and swore he would never again. Let's just say, she really lived up to her name as Hotaru Imai.

There was a pause before she gave him a short reply with an impassive look on her face. "I'll consider it."

 **TBC.**


	2. Chapter 2

**02 I Like Her**

"Hey I called but none of you guys picked up," Mikan closed the door and heard it automatically locked behind her back. "So I just let myself in," she continued and walked inside the apartment, carefully bringing the two paper bags she had in one hand while the other was holding a tray of two coffees. When she finally looked up, she halted in her tracks, her one foot hanging the air awkwardly before it slowly descend back on the floor. She furrowed her brows and looked around. She got the right apartment, right? "Ammm did I get the wrong place?" Her question hanged in the air. She was talking to herself actually.

The person who she found standing near the kitchenette, wasn't Natsume nor Tsubasa. Strange, the man looked a lot like the Hyuuga brothers from the back. Only older. No wonder she mistook him as one. The man too, was startled to see her. That she could tell because the glass he was holding was hovering halfway to his half opened mouth. Furthermore, he was staring at her with raised brows and a blank expression.

"I don't think I got the wrong place though," she mumbled while looking around again. How could she? The surrounding was exactly as how she remembered it. She came here many times already. There's no way she would get the place wrong. Besides, the place got a passcode on the door. She got inside with the passcode they gave her so obviously it's the right place. But who's the stranger staring at her now?

"Ah, you must be one of my sons' friend." The man placed the glass down on the counter top. Finally getting the idea of what's going on.

Mikan's eyes bulged. Natsume's dad!? "Mr. Hyuuga? Ummm, Hyuuga-san." Now that she took a long look at the man, she could see the resemblance. His eyes weren't Natsume's shade because they're closer to Tsubasa's colour. Nonetheless, he had that infamous raven-haired colour that Natsume seem to inherit. He's definitely a Hyuuga. The elder Hyuuga. She awkwardly bowed down her greetings. "Please forgive my rudeness. My name is Mikan Sakura. I'm in the same class as Natsume."

"I see. So it's Natsume." He nodded his head in understanding. He stared at her and a very knowing but warm smiled crept up to the corner of his lips. "If you're looking for my son, he's over there." He pointed to the couch placed in the middle of the living room adjacent to the plasma tv hanged on the wall. "Come in and make yourself comfortable, Sakura-san."

Mikan walked into the place. As she passed the couch, she stopped to drop her bag on the floor and spotted Natsume sleeping soundly with his shorts on and both his hands placed on top of his head and his legs were sprawling wide at the end of the couch. He's not wearing a single shirt on and only had a thin blanket and even that didn't cover him up since it just ended up puddled around his legs. She shook her head at the sight. "Ugh his sleeping posture is ugly as ever," she mumbled under her breath and continued making her way towards the kitchenette. Takeshi mentally chuckled upon hearing it despite it was so low. His son befriended a very interesting girl.

She placed all the things on the small table. "Ah," she finally noticed something. She only got two coffees. She didn't know Natsume's dad would be here. She would've brought an extra one if she knew. No matter. She'll just go buy another one. "I brought breakfast and coffees. Please have some." She reminded herself to use polite and respectful terms.

"Don't worry about me," Takeshi politely refused. "I reckon you bought them for Natsume and Tsubasa. I came here unannounced after all."

"Have you had your breakfast yet, Hyuuga-san?" He already had his working attire on with the solid office look, white shirt, black slacks and dark maroon coloured tie so he must be getting ready to go for work. Didn't seem like he had any breakfast too as Mikan noticed the table and sink were spotless clean just how she left it a few days ago. The glass of plain water he just drank was probably his idea of early breakfast. This apartment had two lazy bachelors after all. They're neither the type to wake up early nor the type to make their own food. Doing groceries were too much work, they said.

Takeshi was a bit startled by the question. To be honest, he didn't see it coming at all. So he was bit flustered when he answered, "Err no, I haven't."

Mikan beamed. "Good! Then you can have some," she insisted while walked over to the cabinet and taking two plates from one of the drawers, she moved around so swiftly. Takeshi had his brows raised as he watched her moving so comfortably around the place. She opened one of the paper bags and took out a variety of breads before placing them on it. "I always bought too many because Tsubasa have a big appetite so he eats a lot for breakfast. So don't worry about it and have some. It's enough for everyone." She wondered if she's talking too much now that she's nervous. After all, she only met him. But she kept in her mind to be mindful of everything she said. She opened the other paper bag and piled the rest of the bread on another plate. Taking the coffees off the tray, she placed one in front of him. "Will cappuccino be okay?"

Takeshi didn't really know what else to reply for she kept on insisting since he already refused it the first time. At last he gave up and accepted it, knowing well she would continue insisting it if he refused again. "Ah yes, cappuccino is okay."

"Great. It's still hot so Hyuuga-san can have Natsume's." She grinned and motioned him for the coffee. Despite the grin she portrayed on her face, deep down, she's a bit nervous facing the man. "I'll just go and buy another one for him. It'll be too cold anyways by the time he finished showering. So you should drink it first." She crumpled the paper bags and went to throw them away in the dustbin located near the fridge. She silently cursed herself, forgetting that it's not really proper to do so—the throwing. "And breakfast, please have them," she stated nervously.

Takeshi smiled. The girl's indeed a nice young lady. Clearly she's restraining herself though. She looked somehow tense, despite trying to be friendly with him. "Alright then." He pulled the chair and sat down. "Don't mind if I do." He took one chocolate croissant from the plate and began eating it. He looked at the still standing Mikan. "Don't force yourself too much. Just be comfortable with yourself, I don't mind," he reminded her again with a very warm voice and a smile. With the way she moved around knowingly, he thought she must had been a frequent guest of his sons. She even called them by their first names so she should be a comfortable person to be around with. Ultimately, Natsume's very picky with the people he's close with.

Mikan's eyes gleamed and her tense shoulders, which she had not realized were tense in the first place when she moved around so much, immediately loosen up. She quickly relaxed herself as her body entered comfortable zone. Natsume's dad seemed like a nice person. A cool one too. How old is he, Mikan wondered. Probably younger than her father, she could tell.

"You're finally here, Mikan." Tsubasa announced as he came into the room, with his wet hair down and a towel around his neck. It seemed he just had his shower; he's wearing a bathrobe. He saw the food on the table. "Ah, you brought breakfast!" he beamed. Headings straight to the table, he waste no time and quickly grabbed a croissant.

"Don't I always?" Mikan rolled her eyes, slowly getting back to her usual real self. She finally felt more comfortable with Hyuuga-san's presence now that Tsubasa's in the room as well.

"Exactly," Tsubasa mumbled with his mouth full of food. He grinned widely but then his face crinkled in confusion as he watched Mikan turned around, heading towards the door. He gulped down the food. "Where are you going? If you're leaving, wake Natsume up. His alarm went off at 6 and now it's already 7. Do you guys have plans for today?"

"I'm gonna go and buy another coffee." She picked up her bag from the floor where she had left it before. "We're going to the airport today."

Tsubasa nodded. "Is it Hotaru?"

"Yeah. She's flying back with Ruka. Hotaru ordered us to pick her up."

Tsubasa mentally chuckled at her usage of words. Ordered, she said. Then again, it's Hotaru Imai they're talking about. "What time do they arrive?"

Mikan pondered. "Around 9 I think." Hotaru didn't exactly tell her when their flight landed in her email. She just told her to pick them up at 9. Well, Mikan didn't respond to her calls and text, so might as well put the blame on her for the lack of infos.

"Will you guys able to make it on time?" He tilted his head in the direction of the still sleeping Natsume.

"We're not taking the train today. My brother lent me his car so we actually have a lot of free time now." Mikan ignored the sight of Tsubasa raising his brows questioningly at her at the mention of her brother. She doubted Natsume had not tell him anything about her brothers sudden appearance at her house yesterday, which he didn't know the older brothers existed in the first place. But she's not gonna dwell about it right now, not with their father present.

She moved to the couch. Squatting down beside him, she flipped Natsume's bangs away from his closed eyes. She poked his cheek and pinched his nose. As her thought, he's dead to the world. If the alarm couldn't wake him up, surely these methods couldn't as well. "He's six feet under to the whole world, so just wake him up like you usually do," Tsubasa called out. "Otou-san won't mind. He actually enjoys seeing some drama." Tsubasa snickered.

Mikan thought he was joking but her mind quickly changed when Hyuuga-san spoke up, "Right, so don't mind this old man over here." She could see his full grin over the rim of the coffee cup he's drinking right now and his eyes were twinkling with mischief too. Mikan tried not to laugh. Their resemblance in personality was indeed uncanny, she finally concluded.

So she went back to the kitchenette. Getting herself a glass, she went to the fridge and filled it up with cold water and walked back to the couch. Without wasting a beat, she poured it down on top of Natsume's head. She was fully aware that his father was watching her from the other side of the room but instead of feeling guilty for doing so, she just felt like laughing out loud when Natsume's eyes sprang open and he immediately bolted up. "Shit! That's fucking cold! Fucking hell!" The effect was immediate as he started to shiver and his lips trembled. He wrapped his arms around his body.

His vision slowly clearing up and finally seeing Mikan standing there beside him, he glared up at her. "Do you wanna die that bad, baka?" he growled threateningly at the culprit.

Mikan chuckled. "It's already 7, Natsume," she informed him.

Natsume's eyes widen. His head spun around, looking at the watch hanging on the wall. It's now 7.03am. Finally realizing that he had actually overslept, he cursed, "Shit!" He didn't realize his alarm had gone off too.

Mikan placed down the glass on the coffee table in front of the couch. "I brought breakfast so get up and take a shower." Mikan leaned down and gave him a peck on his cheek, getting ready to leave. Natsume's eyes instantly lighted up at the touch and his hand instinctively went to grab for her hand. Mikan laughed. "Seriously, Natsume. Wake up already and go get ready. I'm gonna go and buy another coffee so I expect you to be at the table eating breakfast when I get back." Natsume wasn't budging though. Mikan quirked a brow at him and tried holding herself from grinning mischievously. "You're not cold anymore?"

Now that she mentioned it, he had forgotten about the cold but it finally hit him again and he let go of the hand to wrap his arms around his body to warm himself up. "Damn you," he growled with a shiver but the corner of his lips curled up at the end. Natsume watched her disappeared through the front door after giving him her full blow winning grin.

When he tried to get up from the couch, he saw the two looming presence at the kitchen and they were brazenly staring at him. He totally forgot about his father's presence in the house. His face glowered. "What?" he bristled at them both. Tsubasa was trying to keep a straight face but obviously he failed miserably as his shoulders were shaking terribly, a proof that he was enjoying himself with his little brother's live love story with a little pinch of an unfortunate event. But his father, he too, was trying to restrain himself from chuckling but it was obvious because the corner of his eyes went up and his eyes glowed brighter than usual.

He wrapped the blanket around him and headed for his room, planning to get a shower. As he passed the table at the kitchenette, he scowled at both his father and older brother. "Not a word," he scorned and went inside his room. He knew if one of them opened his mouth, they would be bashing him up with sarcastic comments and dry remarks.

"His girlfriend?" Takeshi mused to his other son. He had not seen his son like that before. Natsume wasn't like Tsubasa. While Tsubasa liked to socialize and befriending people, Natsume was the exact opposite. Certainly he didn't expect Natsume to have an interest in dating. It's surely a new sight to see. Though the girl did introduce herself as his classmate, they looked far more closer than just normal classmates to his eyes.

"Was," Tsubasa responded, giving his father an answer with a past term. As he pulled the chair to seat next to him, he saw his father's brows quirked, probing him to explain. So he did. "They broke up last week," he said nonchalantly. He grabbed for his cup of coffee and taking the lid off, he drank it slowly. The steam was still coming out from the top of the foam.

Takeshi sighed at his son's very brief explanation. He forgot he had sons instead of daughters. They're concise in every single thing. Nevertheless, he would just have to leave it at that. He picked up his coffee and took a sip. "Youngsters these days, it's a lot different back in my days." He actually meant the relationship. Back in his time when he broke up with a girl, everything just went awkward so they just ended up not talking anymore. Seeing how Natsume was with a girl who he just broke up with and yet, they didn't seem like they had broken up at all, he was thoroughly confused but he's not gonna say anything. Probably the time of his days differed a lot with this new century. And relationship these days work differently too.

"You sound like an old man," Tsubasa commented with a frown.

"I _am_ an old man," Takeshi replied with an obvious eye roll. He finished his drink and throwing the coffee cup away into the dustbin, he went to wash his hands. "I'm gonna head out first. Tell Natsume to come back home once in awhile. The same goes for you. Your mother won't be that emotionally unstable if you guys do." He patted Tsubasa's back warmly. "And I would not have to sleep outside if her mood is good," he added with a sardonic tone. Tsubasa grinned at his father's cynical remark of his mother's temper.

He picked up his briefcase and his coat. On his way towards the door, he stopped and turned around. "That young lady just now, she's a very nice girl. A very considerate one too. I like her." He smiled and waved his goodbye to his son. Tsubasa watched as the door closed.

20 minutes later, Natsume came bustling into the room with his hair blow dried and tousled. He had a pair of black jeans on, paired with a pale grey stripe t-shirt. Tsubasa looked at him. "Man you're so plain and boring," he commented his attire drily. "Have you not seen how Mikan dress up? Go and put some colors. You're making my mood more gloomy the more I look at you."

Natsume glared at him but he went to change nonetheless. He came out later, looking a bit better than before. He still had his black jeans on but now he had changed to a black and red checkered open buttons t-shirt with a black Nirvana shirt inside. Tsubasa saw the Converse snapback he was holding and smirked. "What's the point of doing your hair if you're wearing a cap."

"I already changed my shirt so just shut up," he snapped. He didn't know why he bother listen to Tsubasa in the first place. He went to the table and took a seat. "She told me she went out to buy another coffee. Why did she have to buy another one?" He grabbed two french toast off the plate and stick them together.

"He gave yours to otou-san." Staring at his little brother eating, he grinned. "Sweet isn't she? Very considerate too. Otou-san said he likes her before he left."

"So does everyone," he put it in as a matter of fact gesture.

"I take it Ruka is not in that particular group then."

"At first," Natsume pressed as he corrected the story while giving him a scorching look. "He doesn't like Mikan _at first_. Now he's quite fond of her." Much to his annoyance.

"Thank god he's tied to Hotaru ne?"

Natsume glared at him. His French toasts now left forgotten. "What are you implying here, Tsubasa?"

"I'm just saying that Mikan is a very sweet girl. Now that you two broke up, it's a matter of time before she got snatched away by other guy."

He drummed his fingers on the table. Eyes seething, his patience's slowly thinning. "Then what does that have to do with Ruka?"

"You just don't get it, do you, little brother?" Tsubasa feigned, regarded bitterly with a small smile as he leaned forward. "If Hotaru had not tied Ruka to her side, he would have gone after Mikan as well. If she had that much effect on Ruka who's thick-headed about girls as much as you are, what do you think about other normal guys?" He leaned back and placed his arms behind his head. He tried to hide his grin. "But then again, that's only my opinion."

The door clicked with the sound of the passcode and swung open with Mikan walking in, holding a cup of coffee in her hand. She saw the two brothers at the table. "Ah good. You finally wake up." When she passed the couch, she tossed her bag on it and continued making her way towards the kitchenette. Tsubasa was the first one to greet her. "You took awfully long time buying a coffee."

Mikan placed the coffee in front of Natsume and took a seat next to him. "I saw your dad on my way back. We ended up having a small chat. He told me about being locked out of the house by your mum." Mikan laughed. "Your dad is a very cool and friendly man. I like him." Mikan looked at Natsume and noticed him being so quiet. "You're okay?" But Natsume's not answering. Instead, his brows wrinkled in vexation and he was clenching his jaw. Mikan turned to look at Tsubasa.

"We just had a brotherly talk between two brothers," Tsubasa explained, rolling his neck back and forth and smiling. He took his final sip of his drink and stood up. "Well, I'm done eating. I'm gonna go and get change for work." He went to throw the cup away. "Mikan, you can pack the rest and take it for your trip. You can eat them inside the car when you guys get hungry. Be careful on your trip. I'll see you later when you guys get back." He gave then a goodbye wave before disappearing to his room.

Natsume frowned. "What did he mean by car?"

Mikan noticed the leftovers on the table. Tsubasa's usually a big eater for breakfast. 'Eat like a king for breakfast' was one of his many life quotes. But there were still many left untouched on the plate. Did they fight while she was gone? Their father didn't mention anything just now when they were talking though. Mikan casted her attentions back to Natsume despite still being bothered by the sight of the leftovers. "Narumi nii-chan lend me his car so we're not taking the train to the airport."

Natsume mentally sighed. His shoulders slouched against the seat. Knowing she had older brothers after three years of dating is one thing he felt anxious about. In addition to it, he only found out last month that she had a younger brother and that's only because he transferred in the same school as them. Another thing is, he didn't understand why he got worked up so much by Tsubasa's words. Maybe he got so angry because everything Tsubasa said was true. He knew but he paid it no mind before.

Their relationship isn't exactly normal as it is. They had skipped the first part and went straight to dating. Instead of being friends first after meeting for the first time, they became lovers straightaway. The fact that they're both each others' first, that just made matters bad now that they had broken up. Not bad in the sense of fighting and all that but bad in sense that none of them really know which boundaries an ex should have. Let alone boundaries of friends from the opposite gender. They're each other's best friend from the opposite gender too.

So that's why, even if she's being chased around by other guys, he knew she's still his even if they had broken up because breaking up or not, they're still together like before. Nothing really changed much after the break up. They're together most of the time too like before. Literally, yes, they broke up. Imprecisely, they didn't really split from each other physically nor mentally. But that's only between them two who knew that. So that's why he paid it no mind before. But the thought of other guys having her still piss him off deep down.

After all, Natsume Hyuuga is possessive of what's his.

 **TBC.**


	3. Chapter 0

**00 That Hangover**

Mikan's eyes went wide. Her arms blossoming with goose bumps as her face glazed with shock. She stared at the person before her eyes. She felt something tight pulling against her chest as the said person looked back at her, his perfectly arched eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Who are you?" her voice was shaky, halting. Damn it, her throat was completely parched. Suddenly she felt her head throbbed painfully. She grabbed it with a groan and too soon the sheet she had securing her chest fell off and she quickly grabbed it with a yelp.

She heard the sound of a soft chuckle and turned to glare at him menacingly. "Honestly, who the hell are you?" she asked again, this time, raising her voice a little higher. The pounding came again and she cursed with a cringe, "Damn it. My head hurts like hell."

"That's probably what we often call a hangover," he said, inching closer and putting a hand on her head, he pat it softly, very likely trying to calm her down. When Mikan gave him a tense look, he awkwardly retrieved his hand. Out of habit, he rubbed his neck in an uncomfortable manner and shrugged. "Sorry. This is new to me. So I really didn't know what to do exactly."

Mikan narrowed her brown orbs at him. The man's devastating. His raven hair was a mess but it was a good looking mess. His eyes were sludgy crimson, but bright and way too intense as he stared back at her. He was sitting up so the sheets were pooling around his waist. Mikan tried not to gaze downward, below his neck but the sight of his bare chest was really tempting. Mikan gulped, trying to find her determination.

She tried to remember what actually happened. She recalled Hotaru dragging her to Sumire's party. Met a bunch of people there, though she couldn't remember any of their faces now nor their names, and they were partying quite hard. She remembered seeing Koko sneaking in some booze. Mikan immediately felt her jaw ticking. That dumbass Koko definitely threw some in the punch bowl. She must had taken a few glasses before she knew the punch was actually hijacked. "I take it we were both drunk to the extent of being like this the next day. _Extremely drunk_ ," she pressed while motioning at the state of undress they were both in right now. Good lord, can the man at least put on something to cover up? Has he no shame?

"Most likely," he answered nonchalantly as he leaned back. Mikan watched at the corner of her eyes as his lean cut upper body flexed. "I don't have any recollection of what really happen." When he woke up, he was already on the bed with a dreadful headache. And beside him laid a stranger whom he knew nothing about. Despite that, he was horribly calm, even he was surprised at himself.

Mikan sighed. Then they were both at fault. It would be no point pointing her finger at him when she too, was drunk. Plus, as much as she wished it didn't happen and it was all a dream, the reality stretched far from it. It _did_ happened and there's nothing she could do to fix it back. Time travel does not exist after all. Though she certainly didn't plan on getting drunk at first. Mikan mentally scowled. She would have to hunt down one breathing human being by the name of Kokoro Yome. And she _will_ torture him to quench her thirst for retribution.

Her trail of thoughts was disturbed when she saw him moving around. "What are you doing?" He ought not to move around so much. Every move he made, she felt like the sheet was about to fell off. They were sharing one sheet after all. And she needed most of it so she could cover herself up. When he tossed his body to the side, wanting to reach something on the floor at the bedside, the sheet was pulled. "Can you not move around so much?" She hissed. "I'm naked!"

She heard a throaty laugh before he responded, "You're not the only one naked here in the room." He picked up a piece of cloth.

"Well…" Mikan halted her words, trying to find a reasonable counter. What he did say was indeed true. Both of them were naked and both of them needed the sheet as much as the other. "You don't have boobs! So I need the sheet more than you do to cover them up!" Well done Mikan. That's the best respond you could give him? Mikan scowled at herself. Now she felt like a loser.

The corner of his lips curved. "That's a very smart thing to say, lady." It was a sarcasm, Mikan noticed.

"Oh shut up," Mikan huffed in irritation. "I'm out of things to rebuff you."

"I'll take a shower first."

Mikan watched he slipped the boxer he just picked up, under the sheet. He moved around a little so Mikan assumed he was putting it on. Pushing the sheet aside, he got down from the bed. He brazenly strutted to the bathroom with nothing but his boxers on. Mikan gaped. Not because the sight was tantalizing but because he did it without any embarrassment at all. The man's completely bold and he's not ashamed of it. The door closed behind his back and Mikan kicked her feet in frustration.

Now what is she supposed to do? She ended up toss and turn on the bed after came up with nothing.

Mikan abruptly sat up when she heard the phone rang somewhere in the room. She knew the ringtone. Wherever You Are by One OK Rock was playing. It was definitely her ringtone. Gathering the sheet, she wrapped them around her body and then got down from the bed. She looked around and walked to where she thought the sound came from. Now she could see where all her clothes were. They were all over the room. She managed to found her phone under her sweater. Hotaru's name appeared on the screen.

"Yes, Hotaru?" Her voice sounded chirpy on a force. Even she cringed at her own forced voice.

"Where are you?" There was a pause before Hotaru finally spoke again. "Bad hangover?"

Mikan sighed on a groan. Hotaru saw through her this time. "A very bad one," she admitted honestly.

"Very well then. Meet me at the usual place at 10 for a spot of breakfast. I'll bring you some advil for that hangover of yours." She hanged up.

Always a concise person, that Hotaru. Mikan heaved a heavy sigh. She heard the sound of water running in the bathroom. Looking at the clock on her phone screen, she pondered for awhile. Gathering her stuff from here and there inside the room, she quickly dressed up, leaving the sheets back where it was, on the bed. Not bothering with a shower, she had plenty of time to stop by her house to take a proper bath. She crinkled her nose in disgust at the faint smell of alcohol. And a change of clothes as well, she added drily.

She picked up the clothes scattered on the floor and carefully folded them before placing them on the bed. Retrieving her bag from by the door, she checked inside. All her stuff seemed to be in it. Standing by the door, she took one final glance at the room. Hearing the shower stopped, she jumped in surprise. "Blimey!" She closed the door behind her back just as she heard the doorknob of the bathroom twisted and saw a glimpse of a foot stepping out. She quickly ran to the elevator.

. . .

"You're late," Ruka commented drily, "As usual."

He watched as Natsume pulled a chair across him and sat down sluggishly. He gave Ruka a look. "Stop being a mother so early in the morning, Nogi. Hearing your voice nagging at me made my ears bleed," Natsume grunted.

"Bad hangover?" Ruka queried.

"Damn yes." He rubbed his temples. The throbbing wasn't as bad as this morning but it was still there. A mild one though. A bit of annoying, actually. He pulled the menu from Ruka and opened it. He scanned the long list of the first page. "I need coffee. With extra shot."

Ruka pulled the menu back. "You need advil." Not an extra shot bloody coffee. Even if caffeine does help a little.

"Later." Natsume gave him a dismissal wave. He raised his brows at him. "I see you're doing extremely fine. No hangover?"

Ruka shook his head. "I'm lucky the punch I drink was alcohol free. Hotaru had a great nose." He grinned.

Natsume smirked. "You make it sound like you have a dog as your girlfriend."

"Your jokes are lame, Hyuuga." Ruka tossed him the menu over the table while glowering. "Order something else too. Don't just get a coffee. You're not a freaking machine. You need food to have energy."

"I don't need energy. I'm not doing anything today anyways," Natsume mumbled, looking back at the menu. When he sensed Ruka giving him a disapproval look of a mother hen, Natsume sighed. "I'll get the breakfast set A, okay mother?"

Ruka rolled his blue eyes at Natsume's endearment of him. Nonetheless, he paid it no mind. Natsume pushed the menu away and held up his hand to get the waiter's attention. Ruka's brows shot up when he saw the watch Natsume was wearing. He squinted his eyes a little for a better look. It was a G-Shock Frogman. He had not seen that before. Especially in such colour sporting on Natsume. "New watch?" He didn't know Natsume fancy pink. One in a softer tone, that is. "Nice color by the way." Ruka smirked.

"Shut up, Nogi." Natsume took the menu and hit Ruka's head with it just as a waiter came to their table with a memo pad and a pen. He returned the menu back to the waiter and gave him his order. After Ruka finished giving his, the waiter left to give the orders to the kitchen before making his another round when another customer raised his hand. "You should call me next time you wanted to buy a watch. I gotta be honest to you, man, pink is definitely not your colour," Ruka continued, snorting in the process.

"It's not mine."

Ruka's face turned blank. "It's not?" Now he's confused. He furrowed his brows. "But you're wearing it," he argued.

"Yeah but it's not mine," Natsume pressed. "You think I would waste my money on something pink?" He asked incredulously. The waiter came to deliver their coffees and left just as quick. Ruka's left unattended infront of him on the table while he waited for Natsume to continue his words but instead, the man just casually blowing his hot coffee over the rim of the cup as he held it up. Now he wondered if Natsume just did it deliberately to tease him or he just had no intention to continue what he was gonna say earlier.

Realization dawned on Ruka's face when he noticed Natsume's clothes were the same as last night. Even if it looked clean and crisp, he expected Natsume had it dry cleaned this morning. He leaned back against his seat too casually and the corner of his lips curved maliciously. "You didn't go home last night," he stated with a cunning smile. It could only meant one thing now. And if the puzzle earlier fit, the watch must belong to a girl. Obviously pink is a girl's colour. In addition that Natsume is the most straight guy Ruka had ever known.

"I crashed at some hotel last night. Didn't remember how I got there though," he replied nonchalantly.

"You didn't go home last night, you were at a hotel too, and you're wearing a girl's watch the next morning…"Ruka's words trailed off as a provocative smile began to form on his face.

"We were both drunk," Natsume pressed, replying way too quickly to defend himself. He knew what Ruka meant earlier. His best friend could already figure it all out.

"So I was right. You did ended up sleeping with somebody from the party," he smiled winningly. He hit the right mark. Now curious, he leaned forward. His elbow on the table, he placed his chin on his palm. "Did you get her number? She's the first girl you slept with after all. That's something she should be proud of. She took your virginity too." Ruka added amusingly. The first girl Natsume Hyuuga slept with, Ruka mused. When nobody else could even get close to him, she landed it while she was drunk. No matter, if things work out great, he could see his best friend holding a girl's hand and called her his girlfriend in the near future. He had always wanted to find Natsume one. Now he didn't have to feel bad whenever he left him behind when he's with Hotaru.

Natsume gave Ruka a glare, signaling him to shut up when the waiter came with their food. A plate of pasta placed in front of Ruka and a plate of scrambled eggs, sausages and toast placed in front of Natsume. The waiter bowed his head and left. Ruka waited. When Natsume forked his eggs, Ruka gave him a look. "So?" he prompted. "Did you get her number or not?" He asked again.

Natsume shrugged his response. "She was gone after I got out of the shower."

Ruka furrowed his brows quizzically. "She just left?"

"She paid for the hotel room though," Natsume added nonchalantly. He thought they should talk, discuss whatever needed to be discussed because hell, he was sure none of them knew what they needed to do after that, or what stood after that; their status and everything. He was sure it was a first time for her too. He may not had any experience in stuff like this but the way she reacted, holding the sheet so tightly to cover herself up like her life depended on it, he's positive that it's her first time too.

But after he got out of the bathroom, she wasn't there anymore. He remembered there were clothes scattered on the floor before he went for a shower but then, her clothes were gone and he found his folded neatly on the bed. After he got his clothes dried-clean, he went to the front desk to pay for the room, thinking she would just left it for him to bill. He was surprise to found out it was already been paid. She just left him perplexed. Even now.

"Aren't you too calm about it?" Ruka stared at his best friend incredulously. "She slept with you and gone the next morning so she's one of those one-night-stand kind of girl. She must had aimed you beforehand at the party." Ruka frowned. "I don't like her." The thought of having the girl as Natsume's girlfriend immediately died out.

"You're not my mother, Ruka," Natsume pointed out grimly. Cutting the sausages in smaller pieces, he took one into his mouth. "I'm bloody sure it's a first time for her too," he muttered while chewing. He remembered her yelling at him, asking for his name when she first saw him there on the bed next to her. Aaah now that he thought about it, he didn't give her his name. "Why do you think she ran away?" Natsume suddenly asked. His face remained impassive but he's really curious though. It was a first time for him and having a girl leaving so quickly, it wasn't supposed to be like that right?

"Isn't it better that way?" Ruka asked back with his mouth filled with food. He chewed the pasta and gulped down. "Or would you rather having her sticking to you like a glue, demanding for you take responsibility?" Ruka froze. His blue eyes widen. "You guys did use protection right?" But then his forehead creased. "But you said you guys were drunk so..the chances of not using one is.." he trailing off, mumbling to himself.

"We use one," Natsume replied. He saw Ruka gave him an odd look and so he explained, "I found a used one thrown on the floor in the hotel room." He shrugged, "Although I have no idea how we managed to use it in the drunk state, but I'm certain we use one."

Ruka sighed in relief. "Fucking hell. I can't imagine you being a father at this age. You'll scare your own kid." Natsume gave him a menacing glare but Ruka just shrugged it off with a laugh.

"Oh Hotaru's finally here," Ruka informed. Pushing his plate next to Natsume, he switched his seat. Not understanding what he's doing, Natsume gave him a look. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Hotaru brought her friend," Ruka answered flippantly while pointing to the entrance door. "Oh right, you guys already met last night. She was at the party too."

Natsume looked at the door and found her cousin walking in with her usual icy impassive expression on her face. Her cold amethyst eyes sent shivers to the waiter she was passing by. She was pulling somebody's hand, more like dragging somebody behind her back. Natsume saw a glimpse of brunette hair and thus quirked his brows at Ruka. "You said we've met last night?"

"Yeah. Hotaru brought her. She'll be attending Alice Academy with us next term so Hotaru's bringing her around to introduce her."

"I can't imagine why my cousin would go such lengths for troublesome matter like that when she hates it so much. Imai being nice to other people, the end is near."

Ruka rolled his eyes at Natsume's remark. "Mikan Sakura is Hotaru's best friend."

"She is?" So her name's Mikan Sakura. "So Imai actually has a best friend who can tolerate her cold quirkiness. That's rare," Natsume added with a smirk. "I hope she doesn't extort money from the poor girl."

Reaching the table, Hotaru countered coldly, "I take everyone's money, Hyuuga." She pushed the brunette to get in the seat first before she took hers after that. Settling down on her seat, Hotaru grabbed for the menu on the next empty table and casually flipped the pages. Meanwhile the brunette was sluggishly sitting beside her with her head on the table, face directed towards the glass window. Natsume silently raised his brows. Did she not notice him?

"Don't mind her. She's having a bad hangover right now," Hotaru said. Closing the menu, she held up a hand to the waiter.

 **TBC.**


	4. Chapter 3

**03 Coincidence vs Timing**

"So what happened between you and Hyuuga?" Hotaru asked directly without beating about the bush. She had her can of Cola near her lips but her amethyst eyes were looking directly at her brunette best friend who was sitting infront of her, poking her leftover baby tomatoes inside her bento box.

She had known Mikan half of her life. She's easy to read, that's for sure. Being able to read her so well, Hotaru enjoyed it so much because it made her think that she's the closest person to her and she's the only person who could understand her so well. But ever since she became involved with Natsume Hyuuga, it's difficult to think what's in her mind. The probability she could guess right what's in her mind was close to fifty these days; instead of ninety five percent like before.

Mikan was from a different middle school than the three of them—namely, Hotaru, Ruka and Natsume. Knowing that she would start high school together with her at Alice Academy, Hotaru was happy. She became friends with Mikan in elementary school but they were separated after they both went to different middle schools. But they managed to keep contact during that time.

A week before the school started, Sumire Shouda threw a party at her house. So Hotaru decided to bring Mikan along so she could meet a few friends of hers. Although she's not that close with Shouda, Hotaru considered her as an acquaintance because they're schoolmates during middle school. Besides, she got the invitation. Even though Shouda didn't serve crabs, there was caviar so Hotaru went.

So she brought Mikan along with her. But not long after, Mikan got drunk by the end of the night. And she didn't remember whom Hotaru had introduced to her at the party. Hotaru didn't even know where Mikan had disappeared off to even before the party ended. All she heard over the line when she called her was her half-asleep slurring. So there's really no point in asking further when the other person was not even half conscious. Plus, she could answer her phone, then that meant she's not in danger.

However, the next day, Hotaru made an effort to go and hunt down Kokoro Yome with her baka gun—and the lad was extremely apologetic about his wrongdoings when he knelt down in front of Hotaru to beg for forgiveness for his stupidity—before meeting Mikan for breakfast. The girl looked beaten up. The hangover had taken a toll on her, it seemed.

Hotaru didn't stay throughout the whole breakfast though. Her brother called her for a little help and she left Mikan alone with Hyuuga before she rushed to the hospital with Ruka sending her off in a taxi. When she returned back to the café, Mikan was gone, leaving Ruka and Natsume alone with he latter looked quite satisfied with himself at that time with a smirk plastered on his face.

She remembered the look of awe and shock her schoolmates were having on their first day of highschool.

They were outside the school gate and Hotaru was waiting for Mikan to come while the rest on the students walked inside the school compound, heading towards their respective classes. Ruka stood frozen next to her with his eyes widen in disbelief and his mouth gaped slightly open. Hotaru, on the other hand, narrowed her eyes at the sight before her. She glanced around and noticed the amount of attention their two friends were getting from the people around them. She didn't expect this turn of events and clearly, neither did Ruka. It was obvious based on his expression.

Mikan Sakura was walking towards them, fully clad in her freshly ironed Alice Academy high school uniform. Beside her was Natsume Hyuuga, walking in a slower stride than he usually did, to match her pace. That was enough shock for everyone else that Natsume Hyuuga actually came to school with somebody else other than Ruka Nogi. Not only that, he came with a girl; a girl that they had not seen before nor recognized. They could not believe what they're seeing. _The_ Natsume Hyuuga was casually walking with a girl so close next to him like it was the most normal thing he had ever done!

Which was not.

It was an odd scene, and yet, spectacular. Natsume Hyuuga was sipping his drink while walking and he had his right ear plugged with his earphone. He was looking forward but his face remained impassive as always. On his left, striding next to him was the brunette. She was looking at a piece of paper she was holding in her hand. While her other hand… was holding Natsume's free hand. Once in awhile she would turn to him to speak with her brows furrowed and also, once in awhile, Natsume's lips were seen to curl up at the corner as he looked at her.

On the first day of starting the new term, the rest of school was granted the news of the two dating. And Hotaru knew about it at the same time as everybody else. That didn't sit well with her, especially since she's Mikan best friend so she thought she should have gotten the news earlier than everyone else. It kind of pissed her off, to be honest. Nobody knew how it had happened; Natsume Hyuuga dating Mikan Sakura. Even Hotaru Imai.

And now, she was gone for one week and upon returning, she had to hear the news on the grapevine that the two had broken up. After nearly three bloody years of being together, including a year where Hotaru initially didn't give her consent to Natsume as Mikan's boyfriend. Natsume Hyuuga was her cousin so clearly she knew how he was, that's why she didn't approve of their relationship. But the two didn't even bother about her opinion and went on ahead like nothing happened like she didn't just oppose the two being together.

"I was gone for a week," she continued, her gazes never left Mikan's face. "I came back and you two had broken up?" She put her can of cola down after taking a sip. She crossed her arms on her chest. "And I had to hear it from some stranger and not from your own mouth," she added with a mild glare.

She had thought about bombarding Mikan with questions as soon as she saw her upon stepping out of the arrival section when the two had gone to pick both her and Ruka up at the airport. Hotaru Imai doesn't like being ignored and she knew Mikan was completely aware of that fact and also another recent fact was that, even knowing that, Mikan Sakura still had the nerve to ignore her!

Hotaru narrowed her eyes in skepticism when Mikan greeted her normally like she had not just declined her one week worth of phone calls—missed calls actually. On their way back to the city, the atmosphere inside the car didn't really change much. They were all talking, updating each other just about anything. And nobody seemed to want to bring up the topic regarding the intentionally ignored calls. Or everybody just happened to forget about it except her.

Not lifting her face up, Mikan continued poking her tomatoes, pretending that she had not heard anything. Hotaru's vein twitched in irritation. Mikan was ignoring her on purpose.

"Mikan Sakura," she called out, her voice fluctuates a little, indicating that she's starting to feel irritate. She watched Mikan froze as her hands stopped moving. "Is that why you've been avoiding my calls?"

Mikan sighed. She closed her bento box and pushed it away from her on the table. Her gaze finally met with Hotaru's. "I changed my number."

That's pretty much obvious. "There are other ways to return my calls. You didn't even reply my texts nor my email."

As if on cue, Mikan slumped forward and placed her head on the desk, her gaze was nowhere in particular as her eyes stared at the sky outside the window near her. She was hesitant at first, but then she voiced out, "I don't know.." she answered honestly, her voice sounded muffled. "I don't know what I was thinking. I don't understand myself either," she trailed off. There was a long pause before Hotaru heard her mumbled, "I'm sorry, Hotaru."

She wanted to press more. She wanted to know why Mikan ignored her for the whole week. She couldn't stand it not knowing something that she really wanted to know. Even so, it didn't seem like Mikan wanted to talk about it; like really not. However, Mikan wouldn't just do that to her for no apparent reason and she apologized too, Hotaru tried to reason herself.

But lately, Mikan rarely told her anything. Had she always been like that, or did she became like that only recently? Hotaru pondered, suddenly wondering when she started to act like that. Rather, these days Mikan preferred to keep things to herself most of the time, unlike how Hotaru remembered her used to be.

Mikan sat up and she looked directly at Hotaru. She sighed and looked away. Hotaru narrowed her eyes at her. It seemed like Mikan wanted to tell her something but it looked like she's having doubts about it. "Tell me something else then."

Mikan raised her brows at her question. Hotaru tried not to roll her eyes—because it's so unlike her to do so—so instead she lightly pinched the bridge of her nose in an attempt not to sigh. "You couldn't make it any more obvious that you have something to tell me, baka. So just spill it out instead of torturing yourself with hesitation."

She could see the wheels in Mikan's head turning so she knew Mikan was still pondering but alas, she spoke, "My brothers came back home. The car we used yesterday.." she bit her lower lips. Instead of telling that it's her brother's, she told Hotaru that they borrowed the car—which was really the truth, only she omitted the name of the owner. "It's true it's borrowed.. but actually, it's Narumi-nii's."

Hotaru's eyes slightly widen. She noticed the plural noun Mikan was using when referring to her siblings. "Narumi-nii and Rei-nii? Both at the same time?" That's weird. Both of them rarely came back home, even for a short visit. In fact, they both have their own places now so they're living by their own and they both have very different working schedules. Both coming back at the same time, that's just too odd.

"Not at the same time, but on the same day." Mikan dumped her head on the desk, making a loud thump sound. Hotaru blinked her eyes. She knew Mikan had a hard head but that ought to hurt even a little.

"And Narumi-nii and Rio nii-chan happened to be at home when I brought Natsume back," she groaned out, not minding the pain she supposed to feel. Thank god Re-nii wasn't there with them as well at that time but still… "The time matched was too perfect for a coincidence that it's ridiculous!" She continued groaning. All the while, continuously hitting her head on the table like it wasn't supposed to make her head feels hurt.

"Baka, stop. You're gonna break down my desk." Hotaru hit Mikan's head with the back of her spoon. "If you're gonna break one, do it on yours."

"I would rather break yours instead," Mikan mumbled half-heartedly.

Hotaru gave Mikan an annoyed look before pushing her head away. "So is that why you broke up with Hyuuga? He found out that Narumi Anjou is your brother?" That couldn't be it. Rather, Natsume Hyuuga won't be that cheap, to break the relationship off just because her brother was someone famous.

"No!" Mikan puffed her cheeks. "I don't think he recognize Narumi-nii at that time. But Rio nii-chan on the other hand.." Mikan sighed. She remembered how it went. Oh the horror.

When Mikan brought Natsume inside the house, Narumi was sitting on the couch in the living room and he only poked his head out behind the couch. She almost had a heart attack upon hearing his voice. Her brother had suddenly come home?!

Thankfully, Mikan managed to quickly drag Natsume out of the house before he could see clearly of her brother's face smiling so brightly at her. She thought she had cleared up the predicament but then her stupid cousin Rio had to come strolling through the front door, looking all peachy.

"Ah Mikan-chan!" He beamed at her. "Okairi!" He pulled her into a tight hug that her head ended up crashing against his firm chest. "Hisashiburi ne, Mikan-chan." He hugged her tighter and Mikan had thought she heard her bones cracked.

If Mikan's jaw could fell off on the ground, that could be possible. Or her heart suddenly froze and fell on top of her stomach, which could be possible either. Though it didn't make any sense. But the hyperbole was what she's feeling right at that time. Her heart nearly stopped for the second time that day.

"Ri..Rio nii-chan,"she stammered, awkwardly pushing her cousin away from her. It's not that it's awkward because she's not close with him—which was not true because she's very close with Rio—but awkward because Natsume Hyuuga was there, witnessing everything that just happened. "You're here."

"Oh? Is this your boyfriend?" He turned to look at Natsume and his lips curled up into a huge grin. He extended his hand. "Nice to—"

"Ah he's not!" Mikan quickly dragged a very puzzled looking Natsume away who was about to accept Rio's handshake. "Sorry Rio nii-chan, I'll be back later." Then she ran off, pulling Natsume behind her back. Dropping him off at the train, she apologized for her brother's sudden return and before Natsume could ask anything, she scurried away, leaving him behind.

"Rio nii-chan even offered a hand shake to Natsume but I quickly dragged him away and left him at the station in a rush," Mikan groaned out. Remember that again now, her mind wanted to explode. No, more like, she wanted to take her brain out of her head so she won't suffer in remembering it again! Mikan puffed her cheeks and mumbled under her breath, "And besides, we already broke up at that time."

In actuality, Hotaru was more interested in knowing why Hyuuga went to Mikan's house when they already broke up. Then she remembered that they're still friends after all that and friends hang out with friends. She guessed it would be pretty normal if that Hyuuga went to Mikan's place. And there were Mikan's parents too. So it's not something important for her to fuss about.

"Do you think Natsume might not recognize Rio nii-chan?" Mikan suddenly asked, face looking hopeful. "He could think of him as someone with similar looking face as Rio Mori."

"Hyuuga is not stupid. The only one thing I can give him credit for, it's his brain." Hotaru's lips curled in disdain. 'Aside from his brain, everything else about him ticks me off,' she added irately in her mind. "Rather than worrying whether Hyuuga recognize him or not, I suspect he thinks Rio Mori is your brother instead." After all, that baka must had run off without explaining anything to him. Even till now. That's why she's making a big fuss over it right now.

Realization dawned on Mikan's face as her mouth formed a mute O. Her breath came raw in her throat. As if something just hit her on the face, she gasped as another thought registered inside her mind. Her facial muscle twitched nervously. "Forget the blunder, Natsume didn't even know I have older brothers before this!" She felt like pulling her hair out now.

She added with a strained voice, "And it's only recent that he knew I have an otouto when Youichi transferred in." To be precise, that _recent_ was only last month.

"I can't imagine what you and Hyuuga talk about all this time," Hotaru commented nonchalantly.

Mikan gave her a blank look at the turn of topic. "What?"

"You guys were together for more than a year and not once a topic about your family came out? That's ridiculous," Hotaru said warily. "Unless you're both stupid." She paused. She just gave Hyuuga a credit for his brain just a minute ago. "I know my words are contradicting but nonetheless, that cousin of mine can be an idiot too at times."

Mikan found the need to defend herself—since Hotaru called her stupid tho that's not really a rare case since Hotaru always call her that—so she quickly justified, "It's because he never ask! And—"

"And you never told," Hotaru cut her off. Her lips pressed together in a fine line. She leaned forward and drummed her fingers on the desk. "You could initiate the topic first but you didn't. Nearly 3 years together and you never bother to correct his lack of information."

Mikan blinked, finally sensing that the ball had now fallen to her side of the court—damnit she had intended to accuse Natsume at first—meaning the blame was on her. She sniffed with a haughty denial. "I thought it wasn't much of a big deal at that time." The drumming of Hotaru's fingers had stopped. When she felt Hotaru's stare started to harden to a glare, she slowly fidgeted and started to picking at her nails.

"I forgot, okay," she finally admitted. "And he thought I'm an only child since there's only my parents at home so I just went with his pace. I did remind myself to tell him but I just keep on forgetting because I couldn't find the right timing."

Hotaru raised her brows. "Let's say you two had been dating for 3 years, even though it has not reach 3 years at all since you two already broke up so, 3 years mean 36 months. An average of 30 days per month so that makes it 1080 days. And you're saying during the 25,920 hours in those 1080 days, you could not find the right time at all?" Hotaru voiced out her sniping remarks.

Mikan cringed. Hotaru got her. She could no longer get out of this one. She's stuck either ways. The blame was definitely on her.

Hotaru threw her a look. "You're digging your own grave, Mikan."

 **TBC.**

A/N: This chapter was previously titled **04 After The Airport** , was previously taken down. It's been re-uploaded as **03 Coincidence vs. Timing**


	5. Chapter 4

**04 Absent**

"Please stop giving the impression that you're trying to commit homicide towards the poor innocent tomatoes," Ruka commented. Hotaru had been staring at the baby tomatoes quite hard. He saw her face hardening. "I get it that it irritates you, not knowing where she is, but Hotaru, people are giving you odd looks now." He looked around and true enough, other people were giving them glances.

Lately, she had been doing things absent-mindedly a lot and it worried Ruka because Hotaru was never like that. Never. Hotaru took pride in whatever she did and she's a person with a lot of focus in her mind. But now, it seemed half the stuff she did, she did them sub-consciously. Like why she's standing there looking at baby tomatoes when they were looking at fish a minute ago. Tomatoes weren't even in their list of groceries to buy.

"Hotaru, I think we should skip the tomatoes today, okay?" He pulled her by the wrist with his free hand while the other carried the basket filled with groceries. They went to the counter and Ruka gave her back a light push. "I'll take care of the bill, you wait outside." And Hotaru headed out, leaving him behind.

Ruka sighed and put the basket on the counter. He waited for the cashier to scan the things from his basket one by one. He glanced at the entrance and wondered where Hotaru had gone off when he couldn't spot her anywhere. He told her to wait outside, but not away from his line of sight. His girl had really lost a wire inside her smart and brainy head. He heaved a heavy sigh, remembering what actually triggered it.

Mikan had been missing.

Nine days ago, Mikan's guardian (whoever that was because the teacher didn't mention any names) had called the school and informed of her absent due to poor health. The same happened on the day after that, which was the last day of school before summer vacation started. It was obviously ridiculous because Mikan was perfectly healthy the day before that.

Hotaru didn't know about her being absent for school, certainly not about her being sick as well because there was no texts or no calls from Mikan. There was actually one phone call from her though—after she tried to call her like four times when Hotaru didn't pick up. She thought she had made it clear to Mikan that she would be busy that night because Ruka's parents were coming over to her house to discuss a very important matter. Hence she didn't pick up. And Mikan looked like she understood it too.

But when her phone kept buzzing with calls from Mikan, Hotaru thought it would be some sort of emergency—thinking that she still called her endlessly despite knowing that the important dinner should not be disturbed—so she excused herself to answer the call. But it was only Mikan rambling random stuff. A vein actually popped on Hotaru's head. She ended the call just as quick but not before calling her a baka. However, there was no hint of her being sick when she talked to her at that time. Or any weird hint whatsoever.

But now, Hotaru couldn't reach Mikan on her cellphone. Although she wasn't particularly surprised because Mikan had recently developed a habit of changing her phone number repeatedly—but to be honest, that new habit of hers irritated Hotaru a little because it was so troublesome whenever she tried to reach her. So she decided to take the easiest and yet, less burdensome way to reach her; by going to her house.

What's even more ridiculous was that, when she went to her house, nobody was answering the door. No matter how many times she pushed the bells, there wasn't any reply. The house was void of any human presence. She even forced Ruka to climb the gate and take a look inside the house through the glass door. It was dark inside. And it was only past 4 in the evening at that time, it wasn't supposed to be that dark inside the house if there were people in it.

Hotaru didn't like how it had now become. She had a bad feeling about it, especially when she remembered about that phone call Mikan gave her where she should have pressed further and asked if she's okay or not; instead of calling her a baka and hanged up. But she was indeed very busy that night. It was a nerve wrecking dinner for her after all. She needed all the focus she could get.

The dinner went well and she should feel relief that it did but now she didn't feel good. It was as though a bile was stuck in her chest. Oh yes, it was the guilt.

Ruka paid his bills and grabbing for the plastic bags, he headed out. Stopping outside the entrance, he looked around, looking for Hotaru. Just then, he raised his eyebrows upon seeing the sight playing before his eyes. Across the street, he managed to spot Hotaru all right.

She was seen dragging a struggling boy by his collar and by the look of it, he didn't seem to be enjoyed being dragged. Nor did he seem like he wanted to go where she's dragging him. She then took him by the corner of a small café—where it was slightly cloaked by the silhouette of the opposite tall building, making it a less noticeable by passersby—and threw him against the wall.

Ruka saw the poor boy slightly winced when his back was slammed against the wall. He also could see the boy stiffen up but his stare didn't go waver against Hotaru's. He held his ground with such bravery and by the look of it, it would seem like he's ready to go on a face off with Hotaru. Hotaru on the other hand, it was odd how Ruka imagined a dark blizzard seemed to be emitted from her back at the same time right now. She seemed to be getting in her old zone again.

Crossing the street, he headed to where they were. Now that he looked closely, if Hotaru were to emit dark blizzard, he could imagined a wild firestorm coming from the boy. The air was intense but it's only because they were staring each other down. "I won't stop you guys but please consider the place first before any one of you start punching or pulling each other's hair out," he said drily.

"Ruka, I caught him," Hotaru announced with a flat tone. Her stare didn't leave Youichi.

Ruka was too amused to say anything right now. The whole scene was just too funny for him. Hotaru with her amethyst eyes sparkled, looking like she finally and successfully caught a sacrificing lamb and the lamb with his tired looking eyes, looked like he didn't give a shit anymore. "Against his will, I'm sure," Ruka commented.

She glanced at Ruka. "It's because he was running away." She threw a look at the silver haired lad who was now looking as close as blowing up.

"Because you were chasing me!" he growled. He fixed his collar and dusted his shirt. "Your aura could pass off as a serial killer, of course I would run."

"I'm close in being one right now," she muttered darkly. She took a few steps forward and poked a slender finger on his chest. "Start talking, Youichi." When she sensed that he was about to twist a question around, she immediately cut him off. "I suggest you not to wriggle your way out of this. You know what I mean so don't pull my leg right now," Hotaru warned him. Her face grew serious. "Why isn't anybody at home? Where's Mikan? Did she get sick so bad that she has to be hospitalized?"

"Ah." Youichi' chuckled, suddenly remembering it. "That was actually me. I called the school and told them that." Because no one bother to so he had to do it for her. Oh well, he had fun doing it.

Hotaru blinked her eyes then a furrow followed after on her face. "She's not sick?" Although she should be asking why Youichi did that in the first place—calling the school and pretending to be a guardian.

Youichi shook his head. "She's healthy as a horse even."

"Then where is she?" Hotaru narrowed her eyes suspiciously when she sensed Youichi suddenly became silent. The movement was barely visible but it didn't go pass her eyes, not when she's finally getting back in her zone. Her hearing and eyesight could be shaper than a kitchen knife right now. Her gaze turned smoldering and sharp. "Start talking," she growled.

Youichi turned his head around. "She's scary," he commented drily. Hotaru Imai is like the combination of a human and a medusa—but without the hair and a little expressionless. Oh how he thought it was just a myth right before his sister became friends with her.

"When isn't she?" The way Ruka said it made it sound more like a statement rather than a question, which he didn't mind either way because really, when isn't Hotaru Imai not scary. She even scared _him_ sometimes.

Ruka put the plastic bags on the ground and leaned against the wall besides Youichi. He leaned in closer to whisper in his ear, "She has crazy eyes right now too," he added teasingly.

Hotaru glared. "I heard that, Nogi." She tapped her foot impatiently. "So? Are you gonna start talking now?"

Youichi sighed. "That baka," he halted when he realized he was about to spill it out just like that. Her sister who was the one responsible for the mess he's in now in the first place—even tho she's a baka but still, he loved her dearly obviously—decided to leave just like that, not even bothering to tell her own best friend about it, clearly meant she just simply didn't want anybody to know. So why would he opened his own damn mouth?

But then again, this is Hotaru Imai he's facing. His life might be in jeopardy if she doesn't get what she wanted. Youichi frowned, looking at the person who didn't look like she enjoyed the silent stare he was giving her for she was actually glowering at him suspiciously. He mentally shrugged. No matter, it's already been a week and she still gonna find out about it sooner or later. But now, he's certain he didn't want to be Hotaru Imai's blackmailed victim.

"She's not in Japan right now," he said flatly. There, he laid it out straight on the table for the two. And he waited for their reaction.

Hotaru was the first to respond. She furrowed her brows, contrast to the clouded face she had right now. "That's ridiculous," her voice sounded flat. Her eyes started to give this dark, smoldering look. "I told you not to kid around." She was not in the mood for any kind of joke right now.

"I am not," Youichi spoke with a vacant look. He thought for awhile then he held out his hand. "Lend me your phone. I'll show you something." He thought this was supposed to be quick trip to the supermarket so he didn't bring his.

Ruka was dubious at first but he lent it to him still. He watched as Youichi dragged his finger swiftly on the smooth flat surface, typed here and there on the keyboard before holding the phone up, with the screen facing the two, for them to see. "My baka sister is currently in Brazil."

Despite being in disbelief, Hotaru leaned in for a closer look as Ruka squinted his eyes a little to get a clearer picture. On the screen of the phone was Narumi's instagram account. Youichi was showing a picture of his blonde-haired brother with a girl by his side. Above the picture stated the location; international airport somewhere in Brazil.

Below the picture at the caption, Narumi put a very stupid-looking heart emoticon next to a Brazil national flag at the end of it. In the photo, Narumi was beaming with his eyes twinkling bright looking at the camera, while the girl next to him was looking elsewhere. It didn't seem like she noticed he was taking a picture of them together—wefie. The picture only showed her face from the side and she had a cap on, along with a gladiator shades. "What is she doing there, that baka?" Frowning, Hotaru muttered with a slack jaw.

But there's no mistaken it. With that brunette hair, it's definitely Mikan. Ruka had known her for three years, he would be dumb not to know it's her even from a side view. But wait… Ruka's brows drew together. He stared at the name of the instagram owner. Narumi Anjou? Why is she with Narumi Anjou?! What is she doing in Brazil with Narumi Anjou?!

"What happen is," Youichi continued, "Baka Mikan followed Narumi-nii to Brazil," he added like a statement. "Scroll to his other pictures if you may." He handed the phone to Hotaru and Hotaru, now had lines forming between her eyebrows, mouth turned downward, silently staring hard at each of the pictures now appearing on the screen one by one as she clicked.

Stood by her side, looking dazed was Ruka Nogi. His eyebrows shot up in surprise, looking at the photos Hotaru was looking on Narumi Anjou's instagram account. His mind had finally connecting the words he's hearing and the things he's seeing. "Anyways, I'm sure if you googled Narumi-nii up, you will find Mikan's photos are all over the net as well. Some paparazzi went crazy and follow him there. People are going crazy trying to figure out who the girl Narumi-nii took to Brazil with."

"Narumi Anjou is your brother?" Ruka thought he heard his voice cracked but that could be his imagination alone. He didn't feign the shock he's feeling in his voice. Hell, he didn't see that coming at all.

Youichi turned to look at Ruka. He gave the blonde quite a long stare as if he was thinking deep about something, before he tilted his head to the side and spoke, "First day I transferred in GA, people were gushing of how close you four are to each other. Does that mean the rumors were just rumors after all?" There was a slight change in his expression. He snickered in a disbelief tone, "Are you sure you guys are really friends with my sister?"

He quirked one brow at Ruka and a very cunning smile curled up at the corner of his lips. "So she didn't tell you either that Rei Serio is our older brother as well?" His eyes had this dark glint in them as they twinkled with amusement.

Ruka didn't even try to cover his shock—even more to say that his shock had now doubled. Mikan Sakura had two older brothers? He bet Natsume didn't know that. Hell, he bet Nasume didn't know either that the brother he was telling him about was actually _that_ Narumi Anjou. If he knew, he would had told him as well. Natsume was only aware of a single older brother in Mikan's life and to think that infamous Rei Serio is her other older brother, Ruka dreaded Natsume's reaction when he heard the news. And to think that they both thought Mikan was the only child in her family until Youichi came transferring in.

He gave the silver haired boy an incredulous stare as he gaped in stunned silence. "But their family names are different?" He tried to make it sound as a statement—because, really, Rei Serio and Narumi Anjou both didn't have Sakura as their family name. Even a small kid can point that out!—but since he was so bewildered, it came out as more of a question from a dumb person rather than a smart statement from an intelligent person. And Ruka Nogi was never a low IQ kind of person.

Youichi gave a dismissive wave and chuckled. "That's just their stage names. When he first started, Narumi-nii said he needed stage name if he wants to make it big in the entertainment industry." And he did become a big shot in that world. He became so famous that he even had to hide his family background to keep away nosy people from poking in.

Youichi shrugged, "Rei-nii on the other hand, doesn't want to have his work mixed with his private life. So he separates them." His other brother, Rei-nii was as big shot in the law industry as Narumi-nii in then entertainment world. Though Youichi personally thought that recently Rei-nii's popularity had grown to surpass Narumi-nii's since he now also become a part of the entertainment industry—and it's not really _entertainment world_ for Rei nii's case and though he was so against it but alas, his boss forced him too—when he decided to become one of the panels for a serious talk show along with other renowned lawyers. They discussed about the crimes that happened in Japan and such.

"If I'm being honest here, if you found Rei Serio very intimidating on screen, trust me, his annoyance overpowers his menace so he isn't that all petrifying," Youichi added with a roll of his eyes. Of course he knew; he lived with the said person. Turning his attention back to Hotaru, he asked, "Believe me now?" He halted as if thinking of something before continuing, "Though I'm surprised Hotaru-nee also didn't mention anything about it to you." He glanced at the two back and forth. A challenging smirk appeared. "Aren't you supposed to be engaged to each other?"

"It's not mine to tell. It's Mikan's," said Hotaru in a clipped tone. Her fingers stopped scrolling and she was giving Youichi the cold look now as her stare became harden.

"And it's not mine to tell either, on why she's there," he gave a quick reply with a challenging look and a direct probing eye contact. "…or what she's doing there," he added with a lofty expression. He's not opening his mouth about it and he's making sure he made it crystal clear to the two.

Hotaru was about to counter Youichi's words when she decided against it. Instead, she threw the phone back and Ruka and ordered, "Get Hyuuga on the line. Since he didn't come to school too, maybe he has the idea on what happen."

"Aaah, don't bother." Youichi gave them another dismissive wave of his hand. "I'm bloody sure Natsume Hyuuga doesn't know," he said with disdain. Hotaru was a bit surprise when she saw the slight look of distastes Youichi had on his face at the mention of Natsume Hyuuga's name. She thought Youichi was quite fond of Hyuuga. "But go ahead and call him. I'm sure he has something to say," his words purposely trailed off, like he was implying something. That glint in his eyes, Hotaru noticed. Was it, despise?

"Bullying people in broad daylight huh?"

A head poked from behind the corner of the café, halting them in the middle of her interrogation. The said person walked out and stood behind Hotaru, two head taller than her, making her turn around. Gone his spiky hair, it was instead a mess on top of his head, and his skin was so pale, it was as though he was having a deathly sickness.

"You guys are disturbing my day." His voice was deep and grouchy. He spotted Hotaru in front of him and he _grinned_. "Oh, little Hotaru." That dark grinned that was supposed to scare people shitless, but not to the object of his current attention now for Hotaru didn't even flinch under that ominous stare Rei was giving him. "I see you're alive."

"I see you're barely not," Hotaru retort smartly, motioning for his entire physical state.

A dark laugh escaped from Rei's lips, making Ruka flinched silently. He nervously stood straight in front of the said person whom he only saw in TV before. His aura in Tv was overwhelming enough but meeting him face to face like this was even more alarming. Sporting a short and a sleeveless t-shirt—probably because it's hot Ruka assumed, he didn't look like Persona whom he portrayed as Rei Serio that Ruka saw on Tv. But the aura was intimidating still. "Forgive me. Mikan rarely mention you lately so it was just a thought," he explained.

He shifted his gaze to the stiff Ruka. "Friends of Mikan?" He had never seen the boy before.

"My fiancé," Hotaru responded while crossing her arms on her chest. Ruka felt a slight boom of proud when he heard Hotaru announced it like that.

Ruka thought he had seen Rei Serio's eyes had widened a little but he quickly dismissed that idea when a slow small smile appeared on his pale lips. "Ah I see," Rei spoke. He gave Ruka a long thoughtful stare before continuing again, now looking at them both. "If you're done taking my little brother as a hostage, may I have my slave back? I don't have all day for this, you know." But then he leaned in and lowering his voice, he sneered, "Though I don't mind having a smart brain and a French ikemen work for me on Youichi's behalf."

Hotaru wasn't eaten by such words. In fact, her mind was whirling with thoughts. "So he's working for you this summer?" Hotaru raised her brows.

Rei chuckled at the sight of her who was the least bit intimidated by his playful threats. He straightened himself back. "I'm paying him to." He nodded his head towards the silver haired lad who was in return, giving him a scowl.

"With food, I assumed," Hotaru concluded. She still remembered a little how Rei-nii was like. His way of bribing them ever since they were little was always food. She heard a low mutter of "Obviously" from her back. Seemed like Youichi was very dissatisfied with the payment.

At that time, they all heard something vibrated. Rei took something out of his pocket. It was a buzzer. He stared at it as the red button kept on lighting up. "I forgot I ordered a drink." He turned around and began walking. "Wrap things up here quickly, Youichi. We still have mountains of work to do."

"What 'we'?" Youichi's eyebrows lowered, drawing together. "Those are _your_ work," he pressed while grinding his teeth. "And why the hell you bought a drink?" His face flushed with indignation. "It's Ice Americano, isn't it?! Why did you buy one when we only came here to restock your coffee supply in the first place?!" He snapped as his head jerks.

"Because it's hot outside," Rei answered leisurely, throwing a dismissal wave from his back. By now Youichi's lips were already pursed with suppressed fury. "Insensitive stupid brother," he hissed. Good lord, Rei-nii was the one who rushed him to the supermarket because they ran out of instant coffee at his place. He still gotta lots of works to settle and he couldn't work without caffeine. It's what made him keep going since he didn't sleep for three days in a row.

Youichi only lost sight of him for two minutes and he already wandered off buying an Ice Americano. Who the hell said they had to be quick in buying the coffee supplies since they have to rush home? The one's who's happily walking away to get his Ice Americano right now. Yeah, his stupid insensitive airhead of a brother. He even had the nerve to leave him behind when he knew why he got cornered in the first place? That baka sister is his sister too! How tactless can he be?!

"And to answer your previous question," Youichi suddenly spoke back, bringing the attention of the two back to him. "Otou-san and kaa-san went for a trip. Mikan with Narumi-nii and since I got basketball practice during summer, I was left under Rei-nii's care so I'm living at his place for the time being. That's why the house is empty," he explained. Although his voice sounded a little strained. "I have answered all your questions so now please excuse me. I'm gonna go and drag my tactless brother home."

As she passed Hotaru, making his way towards the café, he heard her muttered, "She isn't like this before." It was barely inaudible but he had heard it and he knew she didn't have the confidence to actually ask it out loud. Her head was hanging low; her bangs were covering her eyes.

" _What do you mean before? My sister has always been like that right from the start."_

Ruka had thought he saw the small smirk curled at the corner of Youichi's lips when he said that before he left them two alone and headed for the café. He thought it looked kinda cynical but it somehow looked shallow and shady as well. He stared at his retreating figure. Youichi Sakura is one odd character, Ruka perceived. He's usually nonchalant or impassive but he could be friendly and innocent in some circumstances. However, had he always been challenging and dark? Even his aura felt ominous for a second just now when he passed them.

He didn't know Youichi for long since only recently he transferred in and since he's Mikan Sakura's brother, they just happened to get along well. So he didn't bother much about anything else. Plus, they rarely met too so he didn't notice these traits of him before.

But then again, Mikan Sakura also had different character at times. And now that he had met Rei Serio face to face, he would never had thought that he could also be simple-minded and a little bit tactless—which was a bit odd because Ruka had always imagine the man to be intimidating. Narumi Anjou on the other hand, Ruka had heard he was _full of characters_ , that man.

He tapped his chin lightly, thinking. He's starting to think that all Sakuras are just a bit _different_ compared to normal people.

 **TBC.**

A/N: This chapter is previously taken down and now it's re-written and re-uploaded. I apologized for the inconvenience.


	6. Chapter 5

**05 Her Return**

The door to class 3B slammed open as though a burst of wind suddenly came in for a greet. Stood there with her palm flat on the surface of the door was Hotaru Imai and she didn't look particularly happy. She found the object of her attention just as quick as she saw him trying to make an escape through the other door at the back of the class. Hotaru fought the urge to click her tongue in irritation when she realized that Ruka actually knew what she came for. That's why he tried to escape.

Just when Ruka took a glance back at his pissed looking girlfriend, he silently gulped. Hotaru was giving off this dark, smoldering look as she clenched her jaw. Her brows lowering, drawing together. She didn't yell nor she raised her voice with a threat but her face right now clearly told him not to mess with her or he would end up with a bald head the next day. Despite feeling fear for his hair, Ruka acted smart and retreated back into the class.

"So you knew," she declared. She didn't move from where she stood. She just stood there at the door with her arms now crossed across her chest and staring, no, _glaring_ at him.

Ruka cleared his throat. "I only heard about it just now," he lied. He tried not to fidget under Hotaru's scrutiny gaze as she observed him. He didn't have a particular habit when he lied but he certainly hope he didn't develop one right now. He had managed to survive well all these years with her with some white lies. But that's only when it's unavoidable. For example, right now. He certainly cannot lose his hair.

He had heard about it during third period. Apparently a junior from the first year saw Mikan Sakura at the teachers office when she was dropping by to send her math homework. Based on the commotion her brother had _unintentionally_ stirred by posting her pictures in his instagram account, now basically everyone in school knew her; 'Mikan Sakura, Narumi Anjou's little sister'. Now that she had returned, he suspected she would become a celebrity herself because of her older brother. Or so, he thought that's how other people gonna view her as.

Yes so he heard about it and he knew well enough that he should have quickly informed Hotaru about it. After all, she may not say it or admit it even, but Hotaru really took it to her heart that Mikan just suddenly disappear like that without even telling her anything. And she only knew about her whereabouts only after Youichi told her. And that only happened because she went to her house. If not, she would know about her whereabouts the same time as everyone else in the world, meaning the instagram photo. He reckoned Hotaru would be even madder if that were to happen. She was after all, her lifetime best friend.

He was in the same class as Natsume and Mikan while Hotaru, being the brightest among them four was in the A class alone. Hotaru didn't mind being alone, rather, they all had thought it would be the best like that since Hotaru actually favored being alone. Less disturbance in class, she would say. But she would come to their class once in awhile to see Mikan. Right from the first time Ruka met Mikan, she knew how important she is to Hotaru. Ruka stared at Hotaru. It wasn't suppose to be made as a big matter to them but taking into consideration that Mikan's not a skipper, not only she didn't come to school two days before summer holidays began, she also skipped two weeks of class after school reopened after that. In short, she was MIA for nearly more than six weeks.

But the thing is, ever since Hotaru knew that Mikan was actually in Brazil, Hotaru had not been herself that well. Scratch that, she had not been herself _eversince_ Mikan went missing. He bet she didn't even realize it herself. She didn't mention it directly to him but Ruka knew that she didn't understand why Mikan chose not to tell her anything, her decision to follow her brother to Brazil, basically everything she thought was a grave matter to her but not to Mikan herself. Not only that, she couldn't even reach her at all. There were no phone calls, no emails. Nothing came from her. She even deactivated all her social medias. For the first time ever, Hotaru was at loss of what to do.

What's more, her reading genre lately really confused him. One day he saw her reading a bibliography about some renowned people in the technology world and the next day he noticed she was carrying a fiction book about homicide. The title was a troubling one too. 'Minced to Death', he remembered feeling his stomach churned looking at the title. He concluded Hotaru had long passed the downhearted state and now that desolateness had turned to indignation instead. Her irritation to Mikan wouldn't be that bad to the extend that she wanted to commit homicide, right?

To the others inside the class, they could only see Hotaru with a vacant expression on but knowing whom Hotaru Imai actually is for years already, they knew it was the calm before the storm. But right now, it was most likely the storm already. They could already guess what it was that brought Hotaru Imai to the next door class in such a state. The same reason why those who were busy talking about what they heard from the grapevine instantly died out upon Hotaru Imai's sudden appearance. The class was thrown in a stand still when the two were continuously throwing each other the fixed stares. But it finally ended when they heard a tired sigh escaped from Hotaru's lips.

"Nevermind." She shook her head and turned around. "Let's go, Ruka."

As she headed out the class, the commotion started to build up. So the news finally reached Hotaru Imai, they whispered to each other. It wasn't really much of a whisper if everyone else pretty much talked about the same thing in their normal voices instead of leaning in close to their friends' ears. Ruka let out a sigh of relief as his head fall back, eyes looking heavenward.

A hand suddenly came and pat his shoulder. He turned around and saw Koko giving him a look of concern in contrast to the smirk he had tugged at the corner of his lips. "If in 20 minutes time and you still don't return to class, don't worry man, I'll go and find you, Nogi." He laughed. "Your wife seems like she wanted to murder you when she came in."

Ruka slapped his hand away. "Get a teacher instead, idiot." He smirked, " Because I don't want to put my life in the hands of the likes of you. " He made his way to the door.

"Your honest words hurt my feelings, man." Koko scowled at his back. Nonetheless, he wished his friend goodluck before the blonde disappeared through the door.

Ruka ran after Hotaru and tried to keep his pace the same as hers. She walked rather fast, he noticed. Hotaru wasn't a runner and they both knew they're not allowed to run in the hallways either way. But her footsteps were surprisingly quick. Didn't seem she realized he was finally beside her too. "You won't kill her, right?" He tried asking.

Hotaru actually slowed down and turned to look at him, finally registering his presence next to her. She narrowed her brows at him. "Why so?"

Ruka was about to start preaching, reminding her that Mikan went MIA on her without any news at all, thinking that she forgot about it, although he doubted she really did. Hotaru was never an absent-minded person, especially significant matter such as this. Maybe she was trying to see what he has in mind. He nearly told her about how concerning he felt towards her choice of reading lately. Thank god he didn't because then he saw the small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. It's almost hard to see but it was there. A smile. He perceived the end of the conversation with a smile of his own, matching her warmness.

Upon reaching the teachers office, Ruka realized Hotaru had slowed down before she finally stopped walking completely. She just stood there stupefied with a sudden stiffening posture. Ruka looked at her and surprised to see that she had a confused look on her face. As she narrowed her brows, she turned to look at him, as if asking him what she should do next. She was at loss of what to do because then a look of alarm passed her face.

Hearing the news of her return, Hotaru was happy at first. No, scratch that, she was actually ecstatic. She didn't even realized she had walked too fast and left Ruka behind and when did he get there next to her? Her mind was occupied with the thoughts of seeing Mikan only. She even couldn't believe her mind can only work one way now. Her thoughts were solely on Mikan. If that baka knew, she would be enraptured for sure. She mentally snickered at the idea of it. Though for sure she won't tell her that.

But when she finally saw her there before her very own eyes after so many weeks, everything inside her mind just broke down and froze. What's more, her mind entered panic zone because she didn't know what she should do. She felt awkward all of a sudden. She used to see that baka every single day before this—and she took if for granted, she realized—and when she didn't see her not more than a few months lately, she felt that Mikan didn't look like Mikan. Instead, she felt odd looking at the said person now.

Mikan was there, standing by the wall next to the door to the teachers office. She was staring listlessly into space, her brown orbs looked distant. She's not wearing her school uniform. Instead, she's in her casual clothes; a pair of jeggings and a crop shirt with a sleeveless cardigan. Both of her hands were stuffed inside the cardigan pockets. She was staring at the ceiling but her one foot was softly kicking the floor, playing aimlessly. Her bangs covered her forehead entirely. Her heavy curled hair cascaded long behind her back. And they're not brunette, Hotaru realized.

"Mikan," Ruka called out.

Ruka's voice broke Hotaru's reverie as she snapped her head to his direction, feeling a slight alarmed. Nevertheless, Ruka smiled at her warmly. Placing a hand behind her back, he gave her a little push. Hotaru stumbled forward, feeling a bit disgraceful with her out of character side. She glared back at him but he only motioned her with a hand wave, urging her to go and talk to Mikan.

She sighed and finally tried to calm herself down. She's losing her character if she didn't and she took so much pride in being Hotaru Imai too. "Mikan," she tried this time, looking at the said person who's already staring back at her with a small smile.

A faint one.

Hotaru tried not to feel taken aback because even if it resembled what looked like a smile, in truth, it didn't reach even the corner of her mouth. Mikan always, always, smiled widely and if she could exposed her teeth while doing it, she would. Hotaru felt her throat going dry. Mikan looked so distant now.

"You're not wearing your uniform," Hotaru pointed out with a frown, trying to change the air a little by breaking the ice. She felt stiffening with the air surrounding them. "Hotaru, hisashiburi," Mikan greeted her, her face held an amused expression on. "Straight-laced as always, ne Hotaru." She smiled, this time a little bit wider than before but that's just about it. It still didn't reach her eyes. There was no twinkle too. The gleam weren't there at all. "Hisashiburi ne Ruka." Ruka return her greet with a nod and a warm smile.

"Your hair." Hotaru frowned at her, picking her hair color this time.

Mikan grinned sheepishly and Hotaru saw a light of the ol' Mikan a little just then. "I got scolded by Jinno-sensei about it just now." For a fleeting moment, she played with the end of her hair but she continued talking, "Rei-nii got a phone call from the school and he was flipping mad." A look of amusement crossed her face. "He threatened Narumi nii-chan to bring me back or else, I'll be expelled from school. It was a last minute flight home." She shrugged, "Didn't have much time to dye it back."

Hotaru thought she had heard her muttering under her breath that sounded a little like, "Then again, it wasn't in my initial plan to come back either." But Mikan was looking directly at her and that effing faint smile was still tugging at her lips like those words did just not come out of her mouth. So she wondered if she had heard it right or maybe it was just her mind playing games on her.

"But it was such a nice colour, isn't it? I really like it," Mikan uttered, showing her hair colour. It was purple and silver ombre. In this close proximity, Hotaru ended up observing her face completely. She's gotten prettier with a little tan. She used to be paler with soft peachy skin. She had some make up on, now that Hotaru looked closely. Both ears pierced and were adorned with black studs. She thought she saw something on her nose too, probably another piercing but it's too small to confirm it. She couldn't shove her face right in front of hers now, could she? Wait, how come she looked more mature now, now that she changed?

"Such a shame I have to dye it back," she trailed off and flipped her hair back. Just then Hotaru noticed the little drawing carved on her neck. She narrowed her eyes to look harder as if to confirm what she's seeing was right and was not her own delusions.

"Mikan, where did—" Her words were halted when the door to the teachers office slid open and an unfamiliar looking figure stepped out. He was tall and had unusual hair colour. He looked at Hotaru first and it seemed his gaze lingered on her for a second before he turned to look at Mikan. "Gomen. It took longer than I expected."

Mikan shook her head. "Iie. Jinno-sensei likes to preach. That's just all." She turned her attention back to Hotaru. "Ja ne, Hotaru. I'll see you around." She swung around and started to walk away with the unfamiliar stranger following at her back.

"You're not coming to class?" Hotaru called after her. Ruka looked oddly at his fiancée. Why did he felt as though Hotaru went out of her way to ask Mikan? She normally would just force her to come, or warned her to come at least. But asking? That's not how Hotaru Imai got things done.

Mikan swirled around and continued on walking backwards, letting the person now walking next to her went ahead first. She shook her head. "Not today."

Hotaru's face fell. "Tomorrow?" She actually _tried_ asking back because she wanted to know, not with some stranger she just met but Mikan. She felt odd doing so.

Mikan thought for awhile before shrugging a respond, "Maybe."

"But you'll come, right?" She tried again. Her crestfallen face began showing. Ruka who stood beside her, blinked in surprise. Doesn't it seem that Hotaru is trying unusually hard this time?

Mikan stared at her, feeling a bit startled by the change of expression going on her best friend's face. The corner of her mouth curled up slightly to a cursory smile and she chuckled. "This is so not you, Hotaru." She then spun around and gave her a backward wave. "Ja ne, Hotaru! Ja ne Ruka!"

"I'm like this because you're like that with me," she muttered, biting her lower lip, feeling somewhat upset. She watched as Mikan walked away, leaving them behind. She didn't realize she was somehow hissing when she saw the two of them holding hands. "Well I for one, doesn't like whom she's with," she announced with a frown.

She found herself clicking her tongue and tapping her foot in frustration. "The man looks strangely familiar but I knew I've never met him before." A look of concern now passed her face. "She's not dating him, is she?"

"Do you realize you're talking more now than you're usually do, Hotaru?"

Hotaru snapped her head to Ruka's direction and a mild blush crept her face. She was about to argue but then Ruka's next words stopped her completely. "You started to speak out your mind more too, so that's good." Instead of bottling everything inside like she usually did, she just blurted everything out just now. Well, probably everything. So that's how much Mikan's return had affected her. He patted her on the shoulder. "Aren't you glad that she's back now?"

"But still, that baka, she didn't even apologize for disappearing." Hotaru let out a sigh but she smiled nonetheless.

"I'm sure she'll talk about it sooner or later." Ruka took out his phone and went to open his Instagram account. Hotaru gave him a long, searching look. "What are you doing looking through your instagram now?" A vein twitched irritatingly. "We're at school, idiot. Can't you just do it later?" He could get his phone confiscated later on.

"Relax, there's no teacher around so just gimme a second." At the top in the search bar, his fingers typed on the keypad swiftly. His eyes narrowed on the phone screen. "He does look familiar, like you said, so I wanna confirm something very quick here." His dragged his finger swiftly on the screen and looked through the photo one by one. Getting curious now, Hotaru peeked in as well. "Narumi nii-san's?"

"It's just a hunch though. I could be wrong," he muttered, although he hoped he's not. His finger kept on scrolling. It wasn't until he reached Narumi's post from four weeks ago that he finally found it. "Gotcha!" It was a group picture of Mikan and Narumi with a few others. Another two looked Asian if not Japanese. Three of them looked like foreigners and the man was one of them. The difference is his skin is a bit lighter than the rest. He could passed as an Asian too if it weren't for his face structure that of foreign citizen. But in the picture he had on different hair colour though. No wonder Ruka couldn't recognize him at first.

"I don't know how you could spot him." Hotaru tried zooming in the picture. The picture was a little distant in the back and it was a little dark too, probably twilight and they might gather there for sunset viewing.

He scrolled further down and showed her another photo. This time, it's clearer and it was bright sunny day. In the picture was Narumi Anjou wearing only a pair of shorts, jumping off a cliff with the blue ocean down below. Stood on top of the cliff was Mikan who was peering down the cliff with the man behind her, holding her hand, presumably preventing her from falling off the cliff. He wrinkled his nose like there's a bad smell. "They could be dating. Or probably in an open relationship? Or it could be just a friendly gesture. I'm just saying."

"I'm more surprised that you follow Narumi nii-san's instagram, " Hotaru said but her vein was actually twitching as she furrowed her brows. She pressed her lips together, staring at the picture. She felt her jaw tense. Heaving a heavy sigh, she threw Ruka back his phone. Ruka locked his phone and shoved it inside his pocket, just in time to hear Hotaru snarled under her breath. "Where is that stupid idiot Hyuuga? I'm gonna punch my fist through his skull."

 **TBC.**


	7. Chapter 6

**06 Instinct**

Mikan put one foot on his stomach as she stared at him laying down on the ground, totally beaten up. His white shirt was no longer crisp clean. "If I see you one more time, I'll break other things." Her eyes travelled down the length of his body and stopped at a particular spot. Her lips curled up to a cold smirk. She motioned for his crotch. "Preferably that family crown of yours." She pressed her foot harder and leaned down. "So make sure not to come anywhere near me," she warned.

She tossed the size of a baseball bat chunk of wood aside and rubbed her hands together. "The same goes for you too, buddy." She glanced at the other man laying down next to the drain, all bruised up and unmoving. His horrible cheap looking bleached hair plastered on his forehead due to his sweats. "Sorry if it hurts too much. Go to the hospital if the pain prolong, yeah?" The man blinked rapidly with his brows lowered, not sure if she meant it genuinely or in a sarcastic way but he didn't say anything. Not that he could, with his current state. He could taste blood in his mouth right now.

The two man watched in silent as the brunette muttered something under her breath as she made her way towards the brick gate. Despite the horrible state they're both in right now, their eyebrows shot up in surprise when her pace broke into a run before she grabbed for the top of the gate and made a jump over it. She did it so effortlessly and swiftly, the sight of it looked almost beautiful. She didn't even break a sweat at all.

As they finally lost sight of her, one of the men let out a mortifying sigh. They clearly didn't expect this to happen. Well, obviously because she looked so defenseless. Who would have thought that they're the ones who got beaten up at the end. She looked cute so they followed her from the train and when she headed for an empty backstreet, they thought it was a good time to attack. To think that it actually backfired, they felt the shame of being badly beaten up by a girl. Well, at least she didn't call the cops so they felt grateful a little.

On the other hand, Mikan made a perfect land on the other side of the gate. She pat herself a good job and bent down to pick up her bag. It wasn't there. She looked closely around her. "Shit." Now she remembered. She grabbed for the top of the gate again with both of her hands and pushed herself up so that her head would pop up over the gate. Compared to the other side, the ground on this side wasn't that high so she didn't have to put in so much effort. She saw her bag not far from the drain.

"Hey, you." She saw the two men flinched. "Can you pass me my bag there?" She looked at the two men who looked away, pretending not to hear anything—or they're actually really could not move, she's not sure. "Look, I'm sorry for beating you guys at your own game but on a serious note, you two deserve it. Now, can you please help a girl out? I need to go to my class so can you get my bag there?"

The two men still didn't move. "Okay, fine. If we crossed path next time, I will let you guys run away. How bout it? Your family crown is safe. Deal?" She tried to bargain. She already climbed the gate once and she's not gonna do it another two times for her bag. She hated troublesome work. She had now developed a habit of finding another ways where she could avoid using her own energy.

One of the men turned to look at her. Seemed like he bought the deal. "I can't get up so I'll just toss it over." Now they're oddly compliant, it's kinda funny.

"Yeah that's fine too. Thanks!" She watched as the man painfully tried to grab for the bag and made a tremendous effort to lift it up. "Whoa—on a second thought, let the other one do it." She motioned for the other guy with the bleached hair who was giving her a confusing look. "Look, I just broke your friends' fingers just now. He couldn't even lift my bag, how cruel of you to let him toss it over? That must hurt a lot." The two men gave her an incredulous look that obviously meant, 'bish who's the cruel one to break his fingers in the first place!?'

Nonetheless, the other guy tossed the bag before he quickly fell back on his back as soon as he made the throw. He breathed heavily. Moving around still hurt him apparently, even though he didn't have any broken bones like his friend—or at least that's what he thought for now.

Mikan watched the bag passed over her head, flew over the gate and hit the walls of the back of the storeroom before it fell down on the ground. "You know what, I bet nobody would want to be in your team for PE." She scowled. "You have horrible toss." Nevertheless, she said her thanks again and went to grab for her bag.

She found a pair of eyes openly staring at her. "Never took you as a person who beat people up," he commented. How long had he been there? He was crouching down against the wall of the storeroom. Though it was not a large area—the space between behind the storeroom and the back gate, it was still an open space. So why didn't she notice him before? With the spot he's currently at now, she would have spotted him immediately.

She picked up her bag and dusted it. "Never took you as a smoker either," she responded and slung the bag on her side.

"Not a habitual one, at least." He took a deep puff and exhaled the smoke out. Mikan narrowed her eyes at the sight. He looked the least startled that she found out he smoked nor the fact that they bumped into each other there. "This doesn't match your image."

The blonde-haired student let out a raspy chuckle. "I know." He finished his last puff before throwing it on the ground and stepped on it. He looked at her. "You do that often?"

Mikan furrowed her brows. "How long were you there?"

He shrugged. "Long enough I guess." Mikan looked at the amount of cigarettes butt on the ground. He said he wasn't a habitual smoker but with that amount, he must be stressing out over something. Like, _really_ stressing out. This lackadaisical air around him right now was odd too. She had never known Ruka Nogi could smoke.

She walked over to him and sat down, joining him on the ground. "In my offense, it was for self-defense." She took her bag off and put it down on the ground next to her. She crossed her legs together and leaned against the wall. "They groped me in the train and even followed me to the street. I don't know how to properly beat people up but my instinct told me to fight back so I did," she explained. She tapped her chin, suddenly wondering. "Though I feel kind of bad for going overboard. How much do you think would be the medical cost to treat broken bones?"

Ruka threw her a sideway-dubious look, yet he was overwhelmed by her question. Did she just seriously thinking of it _after_ she just beat them up so horribly like that? Normally, would people even think about it _after_ they beat people up? No, more importantly, wouldn't girls normally be totally shaken after been groped? That's like sexual harassment already, wasn't it? How much of a spirited fighter is she to be able to beat them up like that even after going through such a thing and yet, acting all normal now like nothing had happened? Ruka tried to remember if Mikan was ever so brutal like that. She was not.

To be honest, he didn't exactly know what was going on. He was casually taking a puff there, in need of some sort of stress reliever, minding his own business, listening—not that he wanted to but with where he was at that time, he couldn't not listen since it was close by, just across the gate— to some random after-fight talk when suddenly a girl came jumping over the gate and she did it like it was the most normal thing she ever did. He wouldn't know that she actually beat those people up if he didn't hear it just now when she's so busy trying to get her bag. Hell, he didn't even expect it was Mikan Sakura in the first place.

He was even more surprised at that; to think that Mikan Sakura actually and finally came to school. Since it had been two days since the last time they met at the teachers' lounge. He didn't expect she would come today and certainly not in this kind of situation where they would bump into each other.

"Based on the place of your choice to smoke, I'm guessing Hotaru isn't aware of this," she suddenly declared. "Since you did it so discretely like this."

"I rather hope she doesn't found out." Ruka let out a half-hearted smile. He rather she never found out about it at all. Ever. Because the sole reasons of him being like this was none other than her, too. How ironic that only thing that drove him insanely stress out was also the only thing/person that he love insanely. Hotaru Imai.

"This is about Hotaru, then," Mikan concluded concisely, figuring the core of his problems in just a second like she was some sort of psychic with a crystal ball or something. Ruka's jaw dropped. "You know how scary it is that you able to figure it out in just a second?" He gave her a long stare. "You don't happen to—"

"I can't read minds, Nogi." Mikan laughed. Upon seeing that and hearing it, Ruka felt a very nostalgic feeling warming up inside him. Last time they met, they didn't talk much but even from afar, Ruka could sensed the distant air she had somehow putting on. But now, it just felt like he's joking around with her like the ol' days, although they never talked alone like this before. Strange. Why was she like that then?

"I guess I'm that easy to read huh." He smiled softly as he looked down, a lil bit embarrassed of himself.

"Not really. I'm just quick in picking things up anything that relates to Hotaru," Mikan admitted earnestly. Ruka thought he had seen a sad smile on Mikan's face for a second before it disappeared just as quick half a second later. She turned to look at him with a head tilt. "I'm the closest to her for years, you know that right?" She was hinting him that she could obviously help him.

Ruka was doubtful at first but at the end, he let it out. He didn't have anyone to consult with in the first place and he knew what Mikan said actually made sense. Who knew Hotaru better than her anyways? Even though Ruka thought right now their friendship looked somehow like falling apart but now it's not the time to probe about that. He let out a long sigh. "The thing is…" his words trailed. He rubbed his hands together. "Hotaru wanted the wedding ceremony after we both finish our studies."

Mikan nodded her head, listening attentively. It was kind of odd because the last time they met, it seemed like Mikan didn't want to talk and now she's listening to his problems. Ruka continued on, "And on the other hand… my parents want to have it as soon as possible."

"How soon is that soon?"

He hesitated for a while before adding in a quiet voice, "Right after we graduate."

Mikan raised her eyebrows. "From the academy?"

Ruka nodded mildly. "They said good things should not wait." He plopped down on the ground and sighed. "You know how persistent they can get. I'm already out of sorts of what to do." He raked a hand through his blonde hair and felt like pulling them out due to stress.

They were both silent for a while and Ruka assumed Mikan was deep in thoughts so he too, kept quiet. "Alright then, Ruka. Here's the thing." Mikan pat his shoulder lightly after a moment of pondering. She found a way to help him but debated with herself whether she should share the little trick she knew with Ruka since she's the only one who's fully aware of it.

No matter, Ruka's a friend. Even if this had not been in her initial plan, she felt bad if she didn't help him. Her conscious wouldn't like it too if she just turned a blind eye when it was obvious he's so concerned about it. She should lend a hand. "I know this little trick that can get what you want. More like, what your parents want."

Ruka looked at her, feeling slightly uncertain of the whole thing but he listened nonetheless. "I'm sure you know this more than anyone else that Hotaru can be very stubborn."

"Yeah and you parents are persistent too so they match perfectly here," Mikan mumbled under her breath intentionally. Ruka rolled his eyes at her.

"How many times did you ask her about it?" She asked but didn't wait for his answer as she continued on, "I assume you only did it for not more than three times because you think three is the limit since she said no three times straight so you thought if she said no three times straight, she would surely say no to the fourth time as well. So you thought it's not possible after all and eventually stop asking at the end," she deduced in one single breath. The corner of her lips curled up a little. "That's where you're wrong." She pointed one finger at him.

"If you want to get Hotaru to agree on something that she doesn't want to, you have to ask her many times." Mikan nodded her head at the declaration. "Don't limit it to three times only. Ask her as many times as it take because at the end, she will definitely agree on it. I can assure you that."

Ruka narrowed his eyes at her skeptically. "To be honest, that doesn't sound like a good idea at all. You mean I have to ask as many times as I can without knowing when she will say yet but knowing she will definitely agree at the end?"

Mikan nodded her head. "Yeah. That's right." She looked at his unconvinced face. "Ruka, I can vouch for it." She thought of something as proof to tell him that the trick actually worked. Well, there were quite a few actually. She's actually proud of them too because she got _the_ Hotaru Imai to do the things that she didn't want to in the first place. "How bout the time she paid for my meal where she also paid for the caviar that I ate? Or the time I got her to have the same henna as me?"

Ruka remembered that time. Hotaru actually took out her own money to pay for someone else! Since she's usually the one who extorted money from someone else instead. If he could raise his eyebrows than what he already did, his eyebrows would already be lost from his forehead. He was that surprised. Not to mention the time when Hotaru agreed to have her hands henna-ed. That was the most outrageous thing ever that anybody would not have expected for Hotaru Imai to do. Even the air around her crackled when she came to the school the next morning.

She paused as she looked ahead with her eyes looked distant, before adding, "In my case, I'm not sure why she accepted when it's obvious that she didn't want to. Probably because she couldn't stand my constant pestering, asking her so many times that it annoyed her so she gave up and finally said yes to whatever I want," she smiled a little, "or because she saw my effort in asking her so many times that it showed how much I really want it, that eventually changed her mind. Maybe Hotaru just wanted to see how serious I was in wanting it, that's what I often think too." She looked at Ruka again. "Maybe it'll work for you too."

Ruka sat pondering. What Mikan said was indeed logical. There were other solid proofs too now that he thought about it. So now he should just asked her as many times as he should? Would it be a full hundred percent confirmation that she would agree at the end anyways? He turned around when he heard a buzz. Mikan was rummaging her bag and took out a phone.

"Ah sorry. I got caught up with something," she said to the other line and stood up, dusting her skirt. "Yeah I already fetch your parcel so I'll be heading there now. Oh you're there already?" She looked at the screen of her phone before putting it back to her ear. "I lost track of the time, my bad. Okay I'm going there now." She hanged up and returned it back to where she pulled it out from her bag.

Ruka looked at her. "New number?" He noticed there was short pause before Mikan answered, "Nah, not mine. Someone just lent it to me for awhile because I don't have a phone." She then gave him a small smile which to Ruka's view, looked slightly downcast. "I don't think I'll be needing one for now." She stared at Ruka like she was expecting something. "You're not going to class? Homeroom is already over."

"I'm gonna stay for a bit longer." He shrugged and leaned back. "At least until the smell fade away a little."

"You should've brought a perfume or something." She picked up her bag and turning around, she started to walk the other way.

"Exactly that," Ruka mumbled under his breath, not sure whether it's loud enough for her to hear although he had not really have the intention wanting her to hear it. He looked at his watch. If _he_ came to school today, this would be the time _he_ usually came to fetch him to class. Ruka wondered how this would turn out. It's not that he's really looking forward to see it for fun, it's just that he's quite curious how all of this will unravel and affect the rest of the whole school term after this.

At that precise moment, someone appeared from the corner of the building, walking towards the direction where Mikan was heading. Ruka sat still, his eyes were a fixed gaze, concentrating on the whole scene that was slowly playing before his eyes. He was kinda anticipating it to be honest.

The raven-haired were looking at his phone while holding something in his other hand. His feet were moving but his attention was elsewhere. But Mikan, on the other hand, Ruka turned his attention to her now. He could only see her back but he knew Mikan had seen him already but oddly enough, and surprisingly, she didn't stop walking. It just made him wonder even more what Mikan was thinking. Somehow seeing it all as a third person, he could feel the butterflies flying wildly, colliding like they were drunk, in his stomach. He didn't feel anything before but now that both of them were walking closer to each other, he actually thought his heart would wreck due to too much pounding. He was **that** eagerly anticipating what will happen.

"Damn it Nogi stop forgetting things like an old geezer. " The raven-haired looked up just in time when Mikan passed him. Ruka thought his breath hitched up that very second. "Telling me to fetch your stuff, I'm not your—Ow! That fucking hurts!" Snapping, he turned around with a hand over the back of his head. "I told you to stop doing that, Mikan!" He growled.

He then suddenly froze. What on earth did just come out from his mouth? Now he felt oddly lost when he just realized he blurted it out unconsciously. He didn't even realize it himself. Now seeing the person whom he thought was responsible for the whack on the back of his head, he wondered in awe why he automatically called out Mikan's name when it's not even her. He didn't recognize who she was. Natsume furrowed his brows harder, staring at the retreating figure, still walking away like she had not committed a crime of hitting a person's head.

Just when she made a turn at the corner, she raised a hand and gave him a very familiar looking back wave before disappearing. He had seen that kind of hand waving before.

He was hesitant at first because he could not recognize the girl with such odd hair colour—plus, by the time he turned around, her hair was all he could see, not her face—but now, putting the small pieces together, it was definitely Mikan Sakura. He's sure of it now. It was all a familiar occurrence; maybe that's why his instinct worked faster than his brain this time around.

It was on that moment that Natsume Hyuuga was stupefied.

Ruka was beside him in a second. "How did you know it was her?" He took the perfume from Natsume's unmoving and stiff hand, feeling slightly surprised at the turn of events. He looked at his best friend and wondered if he already knew that she's coming back to school today since he seemed so quick in recognizing her just now.

"I didn't."

But Mikan Sakura was the only person who would/dare smack his head like that. His instinct unconsciously acted and he just… knew.

 **TBC.**


	8. Chapter 7

**07 Looks**

"You sure this is okay?" A dirty blond haired muttered as he glanced outside the window. Through his glasses, his trained observing brown eyes watched the back of a female figure slowly walking towards the front gate, carrying two bags along with her; one dangling by her side, the other one on her back. His short dirty blond hair lays flat on his head as the bangs swayed right ways. "Hyuuga is alone at the gate, just so you know," he added, eyes not leaving the retreating figure of the oddly colored haired girl.

"Rather than that, Tobita," a spiky blonde haired waved his hand dismissively in the air as he placed his chin on his desk, staring at the phone screen his other hand was holding in front of his face. "We have another important matter here," he continued, "you guys sure this is the right place that she mentioned?" He motioned for his phone. "Cus this doesn't look like right."

A pair of slit eyes brown haired snickered. "Damn right it doesn't sound right." He didn't look up from his phone. He tried to pay his full attention on the game he was playing and it looked like he nearly won. He drew his fingers on his phone screen and deliberately tapped the poor screen forcefully a few times while biting his lower lips, concentrating. He then furrowed his brows when his avatar got hit despite his effort of avoiding it. "What kind of people would name their shop Tamago? It doesn't sound right from the start," he mumbled. 

Looking at his disinterested friend over the current issue at hand right now by his side, Koko frowned. He straightened up his back and smack Kitsu's hands, disrupting his game. Kitsu cursed, "Fuck man, don't touch me!" He then slammed his fingers on the screen harder than before and his furrows gotten deeper. "If I lost this game, imma slam your head on the table, Yome. I'm not joking here, man," he threatened with a hiss, eyes glued on the screen.

A blonde haired with blue eyes laughed. "Don't irritate him, Yome. It's online ranked so he can't pause. I don't wanna watch WWE live in front of me here later on." He shook his head when he saw Koko scoffed. He placed his bag on his desk and leaned back on his seat. "So? What did you found when you googled the place?"

"Oh right," Koko unlocked his phone again after it had dimmed and locked by itself before. He showed Ruka the screen. "It's a bar." He dragged his finger and swapped to the next picture where it showed the entrance of the place with a small handmade name plate hanging on the door. "It's opened only recently. Just last week I think."

Ruka nodded his head in understanding as he looked at the pictures. "No wonder I've never heard of the place before." He looked at other landmarks around the shop. "Ah that's why we didn't see the shop last week either even when we always passed by the shoplots near the station," he realized and added, "It's down back in the alley next to that famous pastry shop." And since none of them guys favored sweet things, they did not go near the pastry shop before, he mentally added. Hence the reason they had never went down the alley next to it. "So, what's the problem here then?"

Koko blinked. Did these people not hear what he had said? "It's a bar," he reminded in an as-matter-of-fact tone like he had not previously mentioned that statement before. "And we're all underage." He gave this 'Duh' face to his friends.

Yuu quirked an eyebrow and taunted, "Says a person who spiked the drinks at Shouda's party few years ago." The corner of his lips curled up and he turned away in attempt to regain control of his facial features.

Koko's mouth sagged into a frown upon remembering of the whole stupid incident. He sighed and buried his face on the table. "Don't remind me of that, Tobita. Ugh I was already drunk by the time I realized what I was doing." He then shuddered remembering the aftermath of his idiotic acts; which involved a certain pissed off raven haired female. "Imai came chasing me down the day after and in my hungover state, I only remembered begging for my life after that. As stupid as I am, I don't want to mess with her again." He turned his head around and gave Ruka a look. "Your wife scared me shitless at that time."

"She sometimes scared me too," Ruka admitted honestly with a shrug but then he smiled softly and muttered with his eyes looking warm, "Either ways, I'm hooked, man. There's no way out of this already." He widely grins like he had won the most treasured world cup ever.

Koko made an extra effort to openly roll his eyes at his friend's love statement. Upon hearing that, Kitsu scoffed as he put down his phone. He had won the game and his rank has leveled up too; he's overall content for now. He stretched his body around and popped his knuckles before planted his chin on his palm and stared at his blonde friend. "You're whipped for the girl, that's what you are, idiot Nogi."

"Well, I found that admirable," Yuu commented with a warm smile. He glanced outside the window again and found that Mikan Sakura was already at the gate, talking to Hyuuga. He's quite curious of them two, if he had to admit. His gaze lingered a second longer upon the two when they looked so normal conversing to each other on god knows what. He would rather like to know what they were talking about. He didn't particularly like being nosy and he wasn't one to begin with. However, Natsume Hyuuga and Mikan Sakura's current state of relationship is what interest him—and most likely the rest of the school as well—the most at this current time. He's intrigued even. Their relationship's odd progress was interesting right from the start, since their development suddenly existed out of nowhere and nobody were able to figure out their history.

"Since Nogi here has always been the loyal one since day one out of all of us," he continued while looking outside the window. He silently raised his eyebrows in bewilderment when he saw a silver-haired lad suddenly spun around when he had neared the front gate and changed his direction heading back towards the school ground. He was in a rush too. Yuu viewed the whole thing questioningly.

"Nonetheless, you're no better than us in that department, Tobita," Koko countered with a slight irritation like Yuu had somehow insulted him on his love life. He knew he had a horrible one, that's why he's bitter about it.

"I won't refute that." Yuu turned his head around and grinned with shrewdness, acting like he had not just witnessed a weird family drama outside the window of his class from the third floor. He pulled himself from the window and pulled a chair next to Ruka before sitting down. "So what's the issue with the place? Sakura recommended it so I think it's fine."

"Ah I think I could guess what Yome is trying to say here," Kitsu cut in. "Despite his stupid act, spiking the drink last time," he grinned cunningly as he provoked Koko and heard his constant complaint at the back in respond, telling him to stop reminding him of the horrible incident. "It's a bar and we're underage so we can't simply enter the premise as simple as that." He paused and tilted his head a little, thinking. "Is Sakura fully aware that that egg is a bar?"

Koko smacked Kitsu's leg. "Say the name properly, Akeshi. It's Tamago."

"It's the same thing, man." Kitsu rolled his eyes as he rubbed his leg. "Anyways, she's telling us to go ahead first since she has something to do with Horan but can we enter the place just like that since we're underage?" He paused again when a thought suddenly popped inside his mind. "Wait, if she recommends a bar, does that mean Sakura also drinks?"

Koko shook his head. "I doubt it man. Imai went berserk," he paused and looked at Ruka before hastily added, "no offense to your wife," and continued "after she found out about the drink that I spiked since it got Sakura drunk. Sakura can't hold her liquor it seems."

"Then why a bar?" Kitsu's shoulders sagged against his seat, thinking hard like he's trying to solve why world war I happen in the first place. "We could always go to a family restaurant like we did before or McDonalds." He then mumbled under his breath of how he likes the Big Mac and how good it tasted.

Ruka, who had returned his attention back to the phone, now continued swiping the photos relating to the place he found on Google. His finger halted and he blinked, now staring at this one particular photo. "Seems like she and Horan know the people there," he announced. He turned the phone around and showed his friends the photo. On screen was a group photo of six to seven people with both Sakura and Horan together infront of the store. Narumi Anjou was there as well. A look of surprise passed his friends' faces.

Ruka heaved a sigh as he remembered what a certain silvered haired boy told him regarding his two brothers. Nevermind that, he had also met the person himself, Persona. Till this day, he still had time digesting the fact that Rei Serio is the other eldest brother because everything looked so surreal. In addition to their characters as siblings that don't match up to each other. He placed the phone on the table and picked up his bag. "Now that it settles, let's get going then."

Koko picked up his phone and pocketed it, not before he pushed the lock button. He looked at the watch and muttered, "but it's still early though?" Nonetheless, he went back to his seat to pick up his bag. The rest of the guys followed suit.

"Let's just go to the konbini first." He felt like drinking something cold. Really cold.

As he waited at the door, he looked at Kitsu who was still packing his bag. He had the furthest seat compared to them all; almost close to the front rows. Koko who joined him at the door, seeing him, he snickered. "You sure you're good with your seat, man?" He teased.

"Don't bring it up again, Yome," he barked. He picked up his bag. As he headed towards the door, he continuously glared at his friend. "I dug my own grave, I know so stop pushing it, man."

Yuu chuckled. "I kinda understand why you said you're doomed either ways." He remembered the scene few hours ago where Kitsu raised his hand and voluntarily offered Horan to switch their seats together. "But I never took you as someone who has inferiority complex over their looks."

Kitsu clicked his tongue in irritation. "Shut up, Tobita." He sighed. "if you have my face, you would be thinking the same thing too." He suddenly felt his vein throbbing at his temple. "What the hell is wrong with today's seat shuffling?" He spat out, jaw clenching. "I had the worse luck today, I'm telling you!" He stuck out his chin defiantly and wrinkled his nose. "You have no idea how tortured both my mind and my emotion during the first 5 minutes after the seat change." He then frowned when he recalled it.

They had a seat shuffling today. No surprise in that because it happened every month. Well the joy in that was, Kitsu's luck was good at first; he drew a good number and got a good seat. Not exactly next to the window but the seat next to it. It was good enough since it's in the second row from the back too. And he got Ruka sitting diagonally behind him. He thought the sky was smiling down on him. As the process continued, Natsume got the seat directly behind him after that. He thought his luck was truly the best today and god was blessing him from above. He got two of his friends sitting close to him. He was expecting to fully enjoy the remaining of the semester in good mood.

But then when only a few seats were left, the one next to him which is next to the window, finally got its new owner. Him and his new seat partner were previously in the same circle of friends. So he was okay about it at first because he didn't think much yet of the whole thing but as five to seven minutes passed after the whole process of seat shuffling ended and class started, the whole thing finally registered in his mind and he suddenly became aware. Following that, he found himself tensed up and his mood abruptly turned sour. He mentally frowned. He just noticed how the whole picture of his surrounding looked like now. Imagining the whole thing inside his mind, he's emotionally scarred.

"I looked like a fried squid," Kitsu muttered under his breath as he covered his face with both of his palms. He felt dreadful remembering it. "Damn it, I never felt that low about my looks before." He snapped his attention and glared at Ruka. "It's all because of your genetics!" He huffed exasperatedly with a deadpan look on his face—which really, didn't match up at all. Ruka looked at him, blinking and confused at his accusation.

"Well I guess having Mikan Sakura as your new seat partner really blows out things for you," Koko snorted. "Both Hyuuga and Nogi at your back and Sakura next to you. If you were a ship, you'll be a sinking ship in a Bermuda Triangle of Visuals."

Kitsu gave Koko a dejected look with his downcast eyes. "You understand right, what I had to go through if I stayed in that seat?" All of a sudden, the air around him somehow became melancholy when his face showed a sad expression. Yuu had imagined Kitsu would definitely put a sad mournful song as his background right now if he could. "The whole picture is wrong. With me there, I had the tendency to think that I ruined the whole visual thing going on in that corner of our class."

He became conscious that he had somehow entered the frame of the good-looking ones when and if he sat there. He didn't hate it but at the same time, he didn't like it either because he knew he honestly felt like a fish out of water. He knew where he stood with his appearance. The three of them were the visuals and him sitting there was like a potato. Not even those sexy looking French fries in advertisement that got people drooling over but just… a potato. His self-confidence dropped immediately.

Hence the reason he voluntarily offered his seat to the new guy, Horan.

But then, Horan's former seat wasn't good at all. It's near to the front and it's far from where his friends sat. Kitsu knew he's screwed either ways. So he chose not to torture both his mind and emotion and went for the seat exchange. At least his new seat only tortured him mentally. Horan looked pleased with his new seat, Kitsu, on the other hand, wasn't.

They left the class and headed for the stairs. "I got it bad because of Sakura, y'know," Kitsu mumbled, still continuing his nonsense talk. He walked behind Ruka and Yuu with Koko beside him. "Hyuuga and Nogi are good looking, I'm fully aware of that from day one but I didn't feel bad about my looks before," he babbled on. "But then Sakura came back, serving looks; looking like she had just jumped in a pool of collagen like she just resigned from working with a Brazil modelling magazine or something like her looks feel sorta unreal, y'know what I'm saying?" He gave Koko this long stare that's telling him to agree with what he was saying and Koko did nod his head, despite not wanting to. He began taking out his earphone from his pocket and slowly put on in his right ear. The left one continued listening to Kitsu's never ending prattle.

"Right?" He continued walking and continued on, rambling. They were now out of the school building and heading towards the gate. "I was fine sitting near you three before. Sakura was nice looking before this, not too plain but just nice to one's eyes, but now, her beauty is oddly and strikingly eye-catching and her aura somehow had changed and that kinda hit me that she's extremely attractive. And sitting next to her scared me shitless." He was so focused on telling his story that his hand movements were all over the place. "And Horan too, he's another abnormal case. He's too good-looking that it's scary." Kitsu shook his head, thinking back to the first time he saw the new guy appearing in class. "Putting you four together, made us mere mortals look uglier than a bunch of gnomes."

Ruka laughed. "Don't you think you're aggregating the whole thing?" Cus they all think he did. Kitsu had his own charms. His looks weren't exactly in the handsomeness department but his charms did sparkle a few girls who were interested in him.

Only problem here is, he's too oblivious of the whole thing.

 **TBC.**


End file.
